Human rights activists have labelled the Monday report by Egypt’s rights' agency on the human rights situation since June 2013 in Egypt as “balanced”, but suggested that the number of prisoner deaths detected by the report were inaccurate.
The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) said in its report released on Monday that nearly 3,850 people, including civilians, security, army officers and Muslim Brotherhood supporters, were victims of violence since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in June 2013.
The report, while blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for carrying out violence and sabotage, also blamed authorities for dozens of prisoner deaths, due to bad prison conditions and reported tortures.
Human rights lawyer Negad al-Boraie described the report as “very good”, adding in statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm that the report unveils many serious issues and attests to detention deaths.
He, however, argued that the numbers of prisoner deaths mentioned in the report were fewer than in reality, condemning what he called the failure to prosecute the policemen involved.
According to Boraie, the practice of random custody detention is “ a serious matter” regardless of the numbers, and he urged the presidency to bear responsibility for restoring human rights.
Mohamed Zarea, director of the Arab Penal Reform Organization, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that while the report says it had not detected any cases of torture, it still admitted to receiving complaints about them, which, he said, requires investigation.
Describing the report as “balanced”, Zarea said the document still needs a “deeper discussion” in areas related to the right to protest, torture and prison conditions.
Amnesty International, however, has stated in its 2014/2015 report that human rights have deteriorated in Egypt since 2013.
"Torture and other ill-treatment of detainees remained routine and was committed with impunity. Hundreds were sentenced to prison terms or to death after grossly unfair trials. Security forces used excessive force against protesters and committed unlawful killings with impunity. Women faced discrimination and violence. Some refugees were forcibly returned. Forced evictions continued. Dozens of people faced arrest and prosecution for their sexual orientation or identity. Courts imposed hundreds of death sentences; the first executions since 2011 were carried out in June," the report stated.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
