Forty Human Rights Defenders Missing in Egypt – HRW

In Egypt, at least 40 rights workers, activists and lawyers have been rounded up by authorities since late October and are being held in “undisclosed location”, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

“Many of those arrested were people who provided humanitarian and legal support to families of political detainees,” the international rights group said in a statement on Sunday.

The New York-based group is calling on Egyptian authorities to “immediately reveal all the detainees’ whereabouts, release all of those arrested solely for exercising their rights.

It also called on officials in the North African nation to bring any other detainees swiftly before a judge to review their detention.

As many as 80 people had been detained in the wave of arrests, but the rights group said it could only verify 40 names.

HRW statement comes a day after Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued a decree establishing the Supreme Standing Committee for Human Rights, headed by Egypt’s Foreign Minister.

The Egyptian Cabinet’s spokesman Nader Saad said that the committee will deal with Egypt’s human rights file, and respond to any allegations raised regarding human rights in Egypt.

It is also interested in forming a unified Egyptian vision expressed in international and regional forums, and following up the implementation of the action plans that support and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.

During a meeting in New York on September 25, UN secretary General Guterres and President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual interest, including developments in Africa and the Middle East region, but not a word on press freedom and human right abuse.