- Party of former President Mohamed Morsi calls for a Security Council investigation into the security situation in Egypt under Article 34 of the United Nations Charter
- African Union called to investigate under Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act to investigate the situation in Egypt
- European Union called to review continuing relationship with the Egyptian regime
Cairo, Istanbul and London – 9th July 2015 – Leading international human rights lawyers, ITN Solicitors, acting on behalf of former President Morsi and the Freedom & Justice Party (FJP), have written to the Security Council to ask for an immediate investigation into the security situation in Egypt under Article 34 of the United Nations Charter and to take all necessary steps to maintain peace and security under Article 39.
The representations, which were individually made to all 15 members of the Security Council detail the “extreme urgency” of taking action to put an end to the deepening humanitarian crisis endured by Egyptian citizens since the coup in July 2013.
ITN Solicitors have also written to the President of the African Union and the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy calling on them to investigate the Egyptian regime’s serious violations of international law which threaten regional peace and security.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the military Government of General el-Sisi has lost control of the security situation in Egypt. Militant groups have claimed responsibility for a series of assassinations, including judges and the state prosecutor, while also killing dozens of Egyptian soldiers in Sinai. Perversely, Sisi continues to blame the democratic opposition for the deterioration of Egypt into civil unrest.
Nonetheless, the regime are accelerating their policy of repression of Egypt’s democratic movement. Since the 2013 coup the regime has engaged in the wilful killing of thousands of peaceful demonstrators, widespread torture, overt repression of journalists, the unlawful detention of thousands, the imposition of mass death sentences of political prisoners and the execution of detainees following grossly unfair trials. The scale of human rights violations by the regime in Egypt have been equated to crimes against humanity by Human Rights Watch.
The letters state:
- UN Security Council: Individually addressed to all 15 members of the Security Council including Gerard van Bohemen, the current President of the UN Security Council. The letter requests “that the Security Council utilize Article 34 of the United Nations Charter to investigate the situation in Egypt to determine the extent to which the current crisis will act as a threat to regional stability for action to be taken under Article 39”.
- African Union: Addressed to Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, President of the African Union. The letter requests “that the African Union utilize their powers under Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act to investigate the situation in Egypt to determine the extent to which the current crisis amounts to “grave circumstances” for the African Union to be able to intervene”.
The letter notes that “The African Union has previously taken such action against the Sisi regime: suspending Egypt from the Union in accordance with Article 30 of the Constitutive Act following the coup d’état. Such action had a significant impact on the scale of the repression in Egypt, preventing the regime from feeling imputable and above the law”.
- European Union: Addressed to Federica Mogherini, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The letter requests a meeting regarding the death sentence against President Morsi and the death sentences against other party leaders, given the EU’s stated commitment to campaign against capital punishment anywhere in the world. The letter asks the EU for an “urgent update as to the steps taken by the EU following the judgment to uphold Dr Morsi’s death sentence. This is particularly pressing in light of the recent legislative changes” accelerating the execution process. The letter also asks the EU to “review the European Union’s continuing relationship with the current Egyptian regime”.
Tayab Ali, Partner at ITN Solicitors, who leads the international legal team said:
“Egypt is rapidly descending towards a humanitarian crisis and the security situation presents a grave threat to regional stability. The increased use of violence and repression is causing a schism between the state and its citizens.
“It is inevitable that the increase in state oppression will result in unwieldy and increasingly hostile dissent, a situation that will only exacerbate the threats to peace and security in an increasingly uncertain region.
“The consequences of not dealing with this matter forthwith could be irreversible for the people of Egypt”.
–ENDS–
For more information, and to arrange an interview with a representative of ITN Solicitors, please contact:
Albane de Rochebrune, albane.derochebrune@btpadvisers.com
+44 (0) 7 93 85 400 73
Notes to Editors
ITN Solicitors are a leading human rights law firm based in London. For further information see www.itnsolicitors.com