UN worries of harrassment against Egyptian civil society

The raiding of a human rights NGO and the arrest of its members marks a worrying escalation in the harrassment and intimidation of civil society in Egypt. The UN called on Egyptian authorities on Friday to immediately release all individuals who have been detained in relation to their efforts as human rights defenders. The raiding of a human rights NGO and the arrest of its six members in Cairo on Wednesday night marks a worrying escalation in the harassment and intimidation of civil society in Egypt, UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said at a press conference. “At least 50 armed men in civilian clothes, who were later identified as police and security officers, raided the office of the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights late Wednesday night,” she noted. “Six people who were working at the centre at the time were arrested and allegedly beaten, and three laptops, files and documents were seized. Two of the laptops were later returned,” Shamdasani added. She explained that five of those arrested were released after nine hours in custody, during which time they were reportedly mistreated. “One prominent human rights defender, Mohamed Adel Fahmi, a member of the April 6th movement, remains in detention, his whereabouts unknown,” Shamdasani highlighted. “Intimidation of political opponents, activists and human rights defenders for the peaceful exercise of their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and association must be halted,” she stressed, urging for an independent and impartial investigation into the raid on the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights.