A coalition of 22 human rights organizations has called on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to take decisive action following its recent review of Egypt’s human rights record. Rights groups argue that both Egypt’s official report (2019–2024) and the Commission’s rapporteur minimized or ignored extensive abuses—including the imprisonment of journalists, political critics, and human rights defenders, as well as systematic torture, enforced disappearances, and prolonged pretrial detention.
Despite government claims of a “peaceful” and “competitive” 2023 election and greater civil society transparency, independent documentation shows increasing repression: blocked news websites, mass arrests around anticipated protests, and the ongoing detention of high-profile figures such as Alaa Abdel Fattah, Hoda Abdel Moneim, and Ahmed Tantawy.
Structural reforms since 2019 have further entrenched security power, including expanded military authority and laws that weaken due-process protections. Meanwhile, accountability for torture, deaths in custody, and past mass killings remains absent.
Although the African Commission has previously found Egypt in violation of the African Charter, it has not issued a new resolution since 2015. The coalition urges the Commission to adopt a fresh, evidence-based resolution, strengthen public engagement, and activate follow-up and early-warning mechanisms. They also insist that any future Commission session held in Egypt must guarantee the safety and freedom of participation for all attendees.