Human rights violations in Egypt permeate COP27 and dampen protests

Having a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a human right recognized by the UN (United Nations). Would it then make sense to hold a conference on the planet’s climate health in a country with a long recent history of accusations of human rights violations? Because COP27 is already in full swing in Egypt, in the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

To be fair, the task of providing a clean and sustainable environment has failed in the nations of the planet in general – reports constantly point to a worldwide “addiction” to fossil fuels. Otherwise, we would not be on our way to a 2.8°C rise in global average temperature.

In Egypt, however, there are several accusations of other human rights being disrespected. UN experts in 2020 have warned that laws passed since 2013, after the military removed then-President Mohamed Morsi from power, have corrosive effects on the promotion and protection of human rights. Experts warn of restricting public space and limiting fundamental freedoms.

One of these laws limits the possibility of protests and public demonstrations. And here comes an important issue at COPs, especially in recent years, when climate activism has gained even more space.

At COP26, for example, not to go too far, thousands of people took to the streets of Glasgow during climate protests. Activist Greta Thunberg became a world personality when she protested, initially in solitary way, on Fridays in Sweden.

“We know that civil society plays a central role in the success of any COP. I have been to all of them and I can say: without civil society there would be no Paris Agreement, there would be no progress,” said Jennifer Morgan, special envoy for climate. Germany, at an event on climate justice and human rights, on Tuesday night (8), in the German space of COP27.

“These voices are essential. Without plural civil society that can act without fear of reprisals, we will not be able to achieve our climate goals.”

Under Egyptian law, the police of the place where the protest or meeting of more than ten people will be held must be given at least three days’ written notice in order for approval to be given.

Security forces, if they wish, can cancel or postpone the protest, as well as change the location or route based on information about possible threats to the peace.

According to the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, protesters can be arrested, and the legislation also supports the use of excessive or lethal force for dispersal.

How could a country without the basic right to protest then deal with an event where the voice of society is taken as part of the game?

With restrictions and a lot of vigilance — even more than there is usually at a conference with world leaders. In addition to a bit of confusion and the almost total lack of concrete information.

Months before the conference, when concerns were already growing about the possible risks to civil society from demonstrating in the streets of Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, president of COP27, promised a separate space where the protests could take place.

Since the beginning of COP27, on Sunday (6), the Sheet has been looking for the specific location where, supposedly, such demonstrations would be authorized. Neither conference officials nor even members of the information post say they know what it is.

On the part of activists, fear remains. And no less. The Egyptian government monitors the press and communications. There are hundreds of websites that have already been taken down in the country, several of them from known sources of information.

The official justifications are that they “spread lies” and “support terrorism” – similar accusations serve as a pretext for political arrests, such as that of activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who has been on hunger strike for more than 200 days and, at the beginning from the COP, stopped drinking water.

In the country, there are also restrictions on the actions of NGOs, including limitations on cooperation with international organizations and on receiving funds. According to Human Rights Watch, even surveys and field research are prohibited without government authorization.

In terms of protests, relatively simple acts can result in arrest — and the level of concern rose even further just before COP27.

According to a report in The Guardian, Indian activist Ajit Rajagopal was detained by Egyptian police earlier this month while, to raise awareness of the climate crisis, he was walking on a pilgrimage from Cairo to Sharm el-Sheikh, carrying a poster about justice. climate. The activist’s lawyer, when looking for him in the police, was also arrested.

Local human rights groups say dozens more arrests took place shortly before the COP.

If it is not known what may happen to activists on the streets of Egypt, at least inside the COP27 pavilion, according to entities, demonstrations of a political nature are still allowed. This is because the place where a climate conference takes place becomes an extraterritorial zone under the responsibility of the UN.

“The UNFCCC secretariat will maintain the same high standard in facilitating the registration of NGO conferences and demonstrations at the COP venue as in any previous sessions,” he said in a note to Sheetthe UNFCCC (the UN climate change body).

THE Sheet found out from a civil organization that usually makes demonstrations at the COP that five spaces were allocated within the area where the COP takes place for civil society demonstrations. As in previous editions, there is a need to notify the event about the actions. Otherwise, there is even the risk of losing the credential.

In any case, holding the conference could have a positive impact on future rights in Egypt, highlight local activists.

“Egypt has been forgotten in recent years,” says Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which is being sued by the government and banned from leaving the country. event at the stand in Germany.

Bahgat, however, confesses to having no idea what might happen, after the COP, with the activists who participated in the event.

_{The Planeta em Transe project is supported by the Open Society Foundations.}