Amnesty International: Egypt witness to ‘worst human rights crisis’ today

The director of Amnesty International in Germany, Selmin Çalışkan, has said that Egypt under military president Abdul-Fattah Al-Sisi is currently witnessing one of the worst human rights crises in today’s world, Anadolu agaency has reported.

“Under the government of President Abdul-Fattah Al-Sisi Egypt experienced one of the worst human rights crises in the modern history,” Çalışkan was quoted as saying on Monday.

Çalışkan was commenting on the prospective visit of Al-Sisi to Germany. She said that her organisation, alongside with Human Rights Watch and other humanitarian organisations, has put pressure on the German government to push Egypt to stop human rights violation.

She also said: “We demand that Egypt ends repression against opposition activists, peaceful demonstrators and journalists. Serious human rights violations must be investigated independently and transparently and those responsible for them must be held accountable.”

The human rights official explained: “Through years of impunity, Egyptian security forces have had a de facto green light for torture and ill-treatment. Poor detention conditions in overcrowded prisons and police stations are catastrophic and have had fatal consequences.”

She added: “At least 124 prisoners have died since August 2013 because they were tortured and ill-treated in police custody or were denied medical treatment.”

According to Çalışkan’s statement, since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, more than 41,000 people have been arrested in the country.

“Mass trial of opposition figures are grossly unfair and make justice more selective,” Çalışkan said. “President Al-Sisi is partly responsible for this repression and cannot hide behind the alleged independence of the Egyptian courts.”

She added: “The Egyptian judiciary has become an instrument for the suppression of the opposition and the free press. At least 20 journalists are currently in prison because they have criticised the government in their coverage or uncovered human rights violations.”

Meanwhile, Anadolu reported that a group of Egyptians have organised a hunger strike demonstration in front of the German ministerial council to protest Al-Sisi’s visit, which is scheduled to last for three days.