UN review of Egypt ignores Rabaa massacre

There was hardly any mention of the Rabaa Al-Adawiya massacre in Egypt’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN today. Only Iceland remarked on the massacre saying it is alarmed at the impunity that has followed the killings at Rabaa. Regarding the massacre, Iceland encouraged impartial investigations and accountability.

Iceland also expressed its distress at the threats to civil society and human rights organisations in Egypt.

Sweden recommended Egypt review its NGO and Protest Law in order to comply with international laws and immediately release persons detained or imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression through participating in peaceful protests.

In its report yesterday, Human Rights Watch said that the UN Human Rights Council must condemn the “imminent threats to shut down the country’s most prominent non-governmental organisations” and “press Egypt to revoke a law that effectively bans peaceful protests and to release thousands of people detained solely for political expression”.