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Twentieth Session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, Geneva, 27 October to 7 November 2014

UK Statement on the Universal Periodic Review of Egypt, 5 November 2014.

• From: UK Mission to the WTO, UN and Other International Organisations (Geneva)
• Published: 5 November 2014

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The UPR takes place at the Palais des Nations, Geneva

Thank you Mr President and Minister, thank you for coming.

We welcome Egypt’s national report, the Government’s stated commitment to protect the rights in the 2014 Constitution and the finalisation of the Fact Finding Commission report. We look forward to its promised publication.

We remain very concerned at the numbers of detainees in pre-trial detention, reports of mistreatment or torture, use of mass trials and trial irregularities, retention of the death penalty and restrictions on Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly as well as the decreasing space for civil society and the media to operate.

Recommendations:

1. Ensure full implementation of the Government’s provisions for the free operation of civil society in Egypt, including through a revised NGO law that conforms to international standards and protects freedom of expression.

2. Complete the National Strategy on Violence against Women with a clear, credible implementation plan and invite the Special Rapporteur for Violence against Women to visit Egypt.

Published 5 November 2014