Why have 12,000 Egyptians been arrested in the past 8 months?
In November, Egypt’s government banned protests without police approval. | Photo by Carol Gray
Human rights are in crisis in Egypt.
Last November, the country’s government approved a controversial law that criminalizes many protests, resulting in jail sentences of up to five years for citizens found guilty of taking part in unauthorized demonstrations.
In January, Egypt pressed criminal charges against 20 Al Jazeera journalists, alleging they fabricated news and tarnished the country’s reputation. And two weeks ago, an Egyptian court sentenced one per cent of the town of Mattay — 529 members of the Muslim Brotherhood — to death following a 45-minute trial that saw them collectively charged with killing a police officer.
In all, Egypt’s continued crackdown on dissent has resulted in 12,000 arrests in the past eight months alone.
On April 14, students from Concordia and McGill University will present research addressing some of the greatest challenges the country is facing during Perspectives on Human Rights in Egypt, a special panel discussion.
This forum will examine various human rights issues in Egypt:
- “Mobilizing Egypt's Youth: The Impact of and Crackdown on the 6th of April Movement”
- “Justice on Trial: A Look at Egypt’s Use of Military Tribunals for Civilians”
- “The Tamerod Movement: History, Activism and Relevance for Human Rights”
- “Prosecution for Being Gay: Egypt’s Queen Boat Case”
- “Torture Delegitimizing the Egyptian Regime: The Case of Khaled Said”
The panel — part of a larger project aimed at creating an oral history of one of Egypt’s leading human rights organizations — is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability, the Department of Political Science and the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Carol Gray is a Fulbright scholar at the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability.
Perspectives on Human Rights in Egypt takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, April 14 in Room H-1220 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.) on the Sir George Williams Campus.
For more information, email Carol Gray.
Register for Perspectives on Human Rights in Egypt.