Egypt bans HRW report on Rabaa massacre and bans staff

Egyptian authorities denied Human Rights Watch (HRW)’s Executive Director Kenneth Roth and its Middle East and North Africa Director Sarah Leah Whitson entry into the country to brief diplomats and journalists in Cairo on their 188-page report on last year’s July and August mass killings in Cairo.

The pair were refused entry into the country, no explanation was given as to why they were stopped at Cairo international Airport. This is the first time that Egyptian authorities have denied HRW staff entry into the country, including during the Mubarak government, the organisation reported today.

“We came to Egypt to release a serious report on a serious subject that deserves serious attention from the Egyptian government,” Roth said. “Instead of denying the messenger entry to Egypt, the Egyptian authorities should seriously consider our conclusions and recommendations and respond with constructive action.”

The report entitled All According to Plan: The Rab’a Massacre and Mass Killings of Protesters in Egypt, documents how the Egyptian police and army methodically opened fire with live ammunition on crowds of demonstrators opposed to the military’s July 3 ouster of President Mohamed Morsi at six demonstrations in July and August 2013. This meant the killing of at least 1,150 people, no one has been held accountable for the deaths to date. The organisation conducted a year-long investigation into the killings, including interviews with over 200 witnesses, visits to each of the protest sites, as well as reviews of video footage, physical evidence, and statements by public officials.

“We had already shared our report on last year’s mass unlawful killings in Cairo with senior Egyptian officials and were hoping to have meetings with them to discuss our findings and recommendations,” Roth said. “However, it appears the Egyptian government has no appetite to face up to the reality of these abuses, let alone hold those responsible to account.”

HRW were forced to close their Cairo office in February due to security concerns and the political instability in the country. Since then, authorities have imposed extensive restrictions on civil society organisations; for example the new draft law on NGOs would effectively give the government and security agencies veto power over all activities of associations in Egypt.