Democracy Status Report in Egypt VII

The return of the rulings against religious disbelief... The decision of the Governor of Assiut to prevent the entry of women to the governorate Court except with men, human rights organizations demanding the confiscation of several books .,the harvesting of the protests, which reached 41 protest during the month of August .. The Bitter Harvest of the sectarian violence, the problem of financing of the civil work in Egypt...these are the Key topics addressed in the report of the state of democracy in Egypt  VII for the period from 1 to August 31, issued by the Egyptian Association for community participation Enhancement in its efforts "toward building  new democratic spaces". The report observed, in the frame of freedom of belief and religion, that sectarian violence continues with five incidents, "Three in Minya, one in Dakahliya and an accident in the city of Luxor, were fifteen people were killed and wounded. In addition seven tents, two cars and a supermarket were burned and destroyed. Also the family court sentenced of the annexation of the Muslim child to his grandfather after his parents converted to the Baha'i, which the court said in dicta that the parents and the defendant's daughter are apostates and therefore will not be recognized for the child custody and spousal support and that they are dishonest to raise the child.

In the context of freedom of opinion and expression, in an incident one of its kind, the report monitored the filing, of two human rights organizations; United Group made "Negad & Co." and The Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence, of a complaint to the Attorney General for the forfeiture of several books in August 25th to the Attorney General to seize and forfeit a number of Heritage Books.

  within the right to participate in public life through elections, the report monitored the early start of the atmosphere of the next parliamentary elections in 2010; the Muslim Brotherhood announcement proclaiming its intention to enter the next parliamentary elections, the "mass resignations" is the new policy being pursued by members of the National Party in the provinces as an objection to the forging in the elections of the party units, or a party official policy of using personal relations for his favor, or control of a party member. on the other side in the opposition parties, the Unionist Party, the report monitored A Fight between workers and security men of the party with a number of journalists, and expelled them from the party headquarters in August 29, while they were covering events of the sit-ins of several members of the Youth Union.

in review of the elections held in August, the month saw five elections, four of them to sports clubs, as is the supplementary elections of the people, by the Department of Qanater, which have been frozen since the election in 2005

also the report monitored number of peaceful protests, including almost 29 protested against the violations of the right to work, 5 protests of violations of the right to housing and 3 protests of violations of the right to water and 3 protests in violation of the right to life, personal safety and the protest and one violation of the right to education with total 41 protests ranging from peaceful protest demonstrations and vigils, and labor strikes and sit-ins and hunger strikes.

 In the framework of the rights of women, the report monitored El-Masaeya newspaper journalists who were protesting against the annexation of the newspaper to El-Akhbar institute faced harassment by the press officers of the Department. Also the decision of Major General Nabil Ezabi Governor of Assiut to ban the entry of women to the building of the City Hall without a man, and the announcement of Dr. Amena Naseer, a professor of religion and Islamic philosophy at Al Azhar University «Al-Azhar sheikhs (men) do not want women to compete, because they see it on the basis that she is the mother of children in the area of advocacy, and discourage the appearance at all. the acceptance of graduates from faculties of law and Sharia law and the police to fill the post of Assistant Representative, for the first time in the history of the State.

 Under the right of association, freedom to form political parties, the report monitored the intransigence of the parties and the Center Party and its setting up of obstacles to the Reform and Development Party and the intransigence of the Ministry of Social Solidarity and resolution of the Board of University Teaching Staff Club in Cairo

and in the framework of syndicates the right to form and join trade unions, the report monitored a Report of the State Commissioners Authority of the null of the elections of the lawyers general Council resolution and the decision of the general syndicate council of dissolving the branches' syndicates' councils

the theme issue of the report is entitled problem of financing of the civil work in Egypt, which tackled the legal framework for the financing of civil work and the lack of practical experience of civil organizations in attracting local funding, and creating self-financing, and the priority to reflect collectively on the issue of plans and strategies for generating funds necessary for the activities of organizations of civil society in a way that achieves continuity and that encourages ordinary citizens to engage in the activities of organizations of civil society.


The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement (EACPE)
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009