(AFP Photo)
A group of 22 Arab civil society organisations have called on the interim government to “comply with international law and human rights standards” when dealing with violence and terrorism.
In a joint statement, the rights groups expressed concern over “grave threats to human rights in Egypt” and condemned “excessive use of lethal force against protests and sit-ins held by the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters” also condemning supporters of the Brotherhood for using violence.
The group condemned the use of violence by security forces when dealing with protests since 25 January 2011 under Hosni Mubarak, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Mohamed Morsi, blaming a “blatant lack of political will to expose the truth and ensure that justice is achieved” before, during, and after the Brotherhood’s rule.
“The undersigned organisations fear that the continued dominance of security rhetoric and considerations will lead to further bloodshed and undermine opportunities for democratisation, respect for human rights, and the achievement of social justice,” said the statement.
The civil society organisations called for the differentiation between peaceful protest and violence in compliance with international law, for the interim government to adhere to the political roadmap and timeframe for the transitional period and the guaranteeing of legal defence for all detainees.
The groups also called on the interim government to “facilitate the work of the delegation from the UN Office of the High Commisioner for Human Rights to evaluate the human rights situation in Egypt” saying that the delegation filed for entry visas more than a month ago and have yet to receive them.
The statement also called on the supporters of the Brotherhood to renounce violence that targeted other citizens, including Christians, police and army personnel and to cease “propagating a discourse of religious hatred and incitement to violence in mosques, in the media and elsewhere.”
The groups also called on the Arab League to consult the Egyptian government with regards to sending a fact-finding mission to investigate the recent wave of violence to match efforts made by the African Union and the United Nations.
22 Arab rights organisations signed the statement including Egypt-based groups such as the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, the Arab Network for Human Rights Information and the Group for Human Rights Legal Assistance.
Other signatories included civil society organisations from countries such as Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Lebanon and Sudan.
