Egyptian human rights organizations have expressed serious concern in letter sent to ACHPR about the lack of transparency surrounding the visit of Hon. Dr. Litha Musyimi-Ogana, the Country Rapporteur for Egypt at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), to Egypt on December 14, 2024.
The undersigned organizations highlight that this visit was conducted without prior public notification or subsequent disclosure by ACHPR, raising questions about the integrity of the process and ACHPR’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and participation.
Despite ACHPR’s silence, the Egyptian government confirmed the visit in a press release, indicating discussions primarily about administrative reform and public employment governance, with no mention of critical human rights issues such as enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, and unfair trials.
Crucially, there was no consultation with civil society organizations, independent human rights defenders, or victims of abuses, which contradicts ACHPR’s core principles of inclusivity and transparency.
This visit comes at a sensitive time when Egypt recently underwent the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2025, where recommendations were initially made by 137 countries, focusing heavily on Egypt’s deteriorating human rights record. African nations, in particular, have expressed increased scrutiny and concern over ongoing violations.
Furthermore, international bodies like the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) have previously highlighted systemic human rights violations in Egypt, emphasizing the need for strict and transparent oversight.
The undersigned organizations call on the ACHPR to reaffirm its commitment to transparency and meaningful engagement with civil society by providing clarity on the purpose and scope of the visit, the reason behind the lack of prior public notification, the extent, if any, of civil society involvement, publicly releasing the findings of the visit.
Signatories:
Committee for Justice
Egyptian Human Rights Forum
Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms
Egyptian Front for Human Rights
EgyptWide
ANKH Association
Law and Democracy Support Foundation
Refugees Platform in Egypt
