The result points to intimidation as the purpose of the prosecution and the court ruling. State media reports of the sentence suggest that the judge in this case lived up to that reputation by fabricating charges of “inciting violence” that were not included in the case file drawn up by the prosecutor. The judges who serve in this circuit have a reputation for being malleable and subservient to the national security apparatus that plays a prominent role in Sisi’s extremely repressive police state. Within Egypt, the judge’s decision in Hassan’s case constitutes the first time that a court from this special terrorism circuit has been used to sentence such a well-known human rights leader, and the longest sentence imposed on a human rights defender. It also reflects Sisi’s sustained efforts to delegitimize human rights under the cover of countering terrorism, whether domestically or internationally via the United Nations. This harsh sentence marks an escalation in Egypt’s long-running crackdown on peaceful dissent, including the activities of human rights defenders like Hassan, who is general director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, where I serve as senior director for advocacy. ![]() The tweets criticized Egypt’s courts for failing to hold accountable those responsible for widespread violations of human rights since now-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seized power in 2013. His crimes: “insulting the judiciary” and “propagating fake news.” The charges were based on tweets critical of the judiciary and for comments at a side event of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. ![]() An Egyptian terrorism court sentenced prominent human rights leader Bahey eldin Hassan in absentia on Aug.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |