U.S. critical report on Egypt human rights mired with "fallacies and exaggerations" - Foreign Ministry

Fuente: 
Aswat Masriya
Fecha de publicación: 
26 Jun 2015

Egypt's Foreign Ministry rejected on Friday a United States report critical of the state's human rights practices in 2014, saying it relied on sources which lack "accuracy and credibility."

The ministry said in a statement that though the report included some positive references, it was mired with "fallacies and exaggerations" regarding the status of human rights in Egypt.

The report, released by the U.S. department of state on all countries on Thursday, concluded that the most significant human rights abuses witnessed in Egypt ranged from excessive use of force by security forces to the suppression of civil liberties and limitations on due process in trials.

The ministry stressed that "no state has the right to appoint itself as an authority assessing other states, in respect to the concept of equality among states." It said that the report, which is presented at the U.S. congress, "has no value for other states."

"It is more more useful for the countries to concentrate on their societies' domestic conditions and correct their path and whatever violations or mistakes they have," the statement read.

The report commended positive steps taken by the authorities in 2014, related to the constitutional referendum and presidential election held. It said both were "administered professionally and in line with Egyptian laws", citing domestic and international observers.

It also acknowledged "terrorist" attacks which the state has suffered from, saying they "caused arbitrary and unlawful deprivation of life."

Egypt said the report "tried to give the illusion of balance by referring to some positive aspects" yet criticised it for "failing to give enough space ... to the efforts exerted by the Egyptian government to improve human rights conditions, work conditions, advancement of women and fight corruption."

It condemned the report for relying on information provided by non-governmental organisations which it accused of "lacking accuracy and credibility" and "systematic" bias against Egypt to "taint the facts" and serve their own gains. 

The report referred to incidents of killings of demonstrators and torturing suspects at the hands of security forces, citing domestic and international human rights organisations. It also mentioned the arrest of thousands of anti-government protesters, including secular or Islamist activists.

The U.S. also criticised the use of "mass trials in which evidence was not presented on an individual basis," as well as a new law issued by Egypt's president last year which expanded the jurisdiction of military prosecution on civilians. 

It made reference as well to the general "environment of impunity" prevailing in the country due to the failure to "comprehensively investigate human rights abuses" or the acquittal of security forces accused of committing such abuses.

Egypt is generally critical of reports issued on its human rights record.

The state opened fire at international organisations such as Human Rights Watch, which it accused of "leading a systematic campaign against Egypt," after the organisation released a report on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's first year in office, describing it as a "year of abuse".

 

Source: http://en.aswatmasriya.com/news/view.aspx?id=e5591118-06ec-4ecf-89e1-258...