Tactics and tools for the protection
of Human Rights Defenders

31 December 2011

Leading Egyptian human rights defenders reaffirm their commitment to work for human rights in face of increasing repression ’part of a broader campaign launched by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to smear and stigmatize all rights activists’.

FULL TEXT OF STATEMENT

The undersigned organizations condemn the broad, ongoing attack on human rights organizations and civil society, which today included raids on several rights organizations that actively work to promote democracy. Police and military forces, accompanied by members of the Public Prosecution, stormed the offices of the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession, the Budgetary and Human Rights Observatory, and other international human rights and pro-democracy institutions.

This serious step marks the beginning of a security campaign that is expected to affect dozens of advocacy groups, and is part of a broader campaign launched by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to smear and stigmatize all rights activists and numerous forces involved in the January 25 revolution.

The undersigned organizations believe that the aim of this unprecedented campaign is to cover up the SCAF’s failures in the transitional period and harass political groups, activists, and rights advocates who have dared criticize its policies, expose the shameful abuses that have taken place under its administration, and in some cases successfully pursued legal action against military violations before the courts.

We regret to say that with each passing day, the SCAF proves not only its hostility to the fundamental goals of the Egyptian revolution and the sacrifices of its martyrs, but demonstrates its deeply held desire to settle accounts with political and advocacy groups that played a prominent role in ushering in the revolution or during the uprising itself, or that have created and promoted programs with the objective of building a new political system on the ruins of the Mubarak regime and its authoritarian methods, which the SCAF is now reproducing in an even uglier, more dangerous form.

The undersigned organizations stress that the growing repression will not deter them from continuing in their mission to defend victims of human rights abuses and expose violations against them. We firmly believe that the support of the forces of the revolution that stand with us against repression and affronts to human dignity, as well as international solidarity springing from a common belief in the nobility and universality of human rights principles, will only increase our commitment to our mission, our resolve not to betray the voices of the victims, and our determination to see the hand of justice hold accountable those responsible for human rights crimes, whether during or after the Mubarak era.

List of Signatories

Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies

Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession

Arab Foundation for Civil Society and Human Rights Support

Arabic Network for Human Rights Information

Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression

Association for Human Development

Association for Human Rights Legal Aid

Budgetary and Human Rights Observatory

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Cairo Liberal Forum

Center for Communication Support (ACT)

Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance

Center for Trade Union and Workers Services

Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement

Egyptian Association for Disseminating and Developing Legal Awareness

Egyptian Economic and Social Rights

Egyptian Center for the Right to Housing

Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

Egyptian Organization for Human Rights

El-Nadim Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence

Free Egyptian Movement

Hisham Mubarak Law Center

Mohsen Bahnasi, lawyer and rights activist

Nazra for Feminist Studies

New Woman Foundation

No Military Trials for Civilians Group

One Nation for Development and Liberties

One World Foundation

Partisans of Justice Center

Egyptian Democratic Academy

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