Egypt’s National Dialogue has concluded its discussion on pre-trial detention and submitted its recommendations to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The recommendations, which emerged from the sessions of the Human Rights and Public Freedoms Committee, address the topic of “pre-trial detention and criminal justice.”
The Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue emphasized that pre-trial detention and criminal justice were among the top issues addressed during its preparatory sessions with various political forces and its public sessions. The sessions, which began on July 23, 2024, were attended by political figures, human rights lawyers, public figures, parliamentarians, representatives of political parties, heads of some human rights organizations, and representatives from the Presidential Pardon Committee.
The discussion covered several topics, including the duration of pre-trial detention, alternatives to pre-trial detention, pre-trial detention in cases of multiple crimes occurring concurrently, compensation for wrongful pre-trial detention, and measures accompanying pre-trial detention.
The five topics encompassed all aspects of the issue and covered all its facets, facilitating a comprehensive discussion and allowing participants to express their views on the causes and solutions related to pre-trial detention.
The Board of Trustees highlighted that the discussions were serious and open, with all views expressed during the sessions or submitted as proposals to the National Dialogue, being incorporated into the recommendations without excluding any opinion or proposal.
A total of 24 recommendations were submitted, with 20 being unanimously agreed upon. Four recommendations included multiple opinions on their implementation.
It is worth noting that 20 proposals were submitted for the dialogue sessions from various parties. The discussions during these sessions lasted 12 continuous hours, with approximately 120 speakers from diverse backgrounds participating. This amounted to 75 hours of work for the Board of Trustees and 180 hours of work for the National Dialogue’s technical secretariat.
Representatives of the Board of Trustees, rapporteurs, and attendees listened to all perspectives. These recommendations emerged after extensive discussions and diverse opinions among members, adhering to the procedures outlined in the dialogue’s regulations through public sessions, preparation and drafting committees, presentation by rapporteurs from the political axis and committee rapporteurs, and subsequent submission to the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue commends and appreciates President Al-Sisi’s commitment to establishing a national dialogue among all political, youth, party, trade union, and civil society forces, his ongoing support for this dialogue, and his follow-up on the implementation of its outcomes.
These steps represent significant progress in creating common ground for building the new republic, under the slogan “A homeland that accommodates everyone.” The principle is that differences of opinion do not undermine the nation’s cause.
