Urge the Egyptian government to protect the freedom of expression and assembly in the new constitution. Repeal the protest law and overturn convictions for non-violently protesting without authorization. Release those detained soley for peacefully exercising their fundamental freedom of expression or assembly. Impartially investigate human rights violations and ensure detainees are legally represented and protected from torture and ill-treatment. Regarding Egypt's new constitution, we request it fully abides by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by Egypt on 12/10/1948, .
Egypt's new government restricted and criminalized the rights of assembly and expression when the interim President Adly Mansour signed in a new protest law on 11/24/2013. This law requires protest organizers to submit for approval from authorities to assemble 10+ people or face imprisonment, fines and potentially fatal use of force.
This petition serves as an online protest to demonstrate worldwide support for the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
According to the Facts and Figures Brief from Amnesty International:
"Since 30 June 2013, an estimated 1,400 people have died in protests or other political
violence, including in incidents where the security forces used excessive lethal force to
disperse demonstrations, as well as clashes between Mohamed Morsi’s supporters and
opponents."
"Amnesty International is concerned at a pattern of selective justice in Egypt, evident in the choices of cases picked by the Prosecution to investigate, prosecute and refer to trial. While the Public Prosecution has detained thousands of Mohamed Morsi’s supporters on charges of protesting violently and belonging to a banned group, it has failed to hold security forces responsible for human rights violations."
Political activists like Ahmed Maher, Mohamed Adel and Ahmed Doua were recently sentenced to 3 years in prision with hard labor for protesting. Peaceful protesters like Ola Ezzat and 20 other women were sentenced to 11 years in jail for their activism before they appealed.
Please use your freedom of expression to speak out against these human rights atrocities and help free these prisioners of conscience.
References:
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch
United Nations
Aljazeera
BBC
Egypt Independent
Photo by Jonathan Rashad Creative Commons License
