Following EU High Representative Ashton’s address on Egypt at the European Parliament on March 13th, EMHRN welcomes the plea by MEPs that the EU withhold direct financial aid to Egypt until Morsi’s government demonstrates real progress in human rights, including women’s rights.
The European Parliament (EP) echoed concerns raised by EMHRN Egyptian members during meetings with EU representatives in Brussels (March 6-7) on the deteriorating situation of fundamental freedoms in the country.
During these meetings, EMHRN members had warned EU officials of the repressive laws threatening to paralyse NGOs operating in the country and reported distressing trends of using sexual violence against women as a political tool to shame Egyptian women away from taking part in political life in Egypt. They also denounced the failure of the Egyptian authorities to address human rights violations, both in practices and policies.
The EMHRN therefore welcomes the EP Resolution on Egypt in that it made explicit demands on Ashton to ‘hold the Egyptian authorities and President Morsi to their commitments to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.’
The EMHRN also joins the EP when it calls on the EU ‘not to grant any budgetary support to the Egyptian authorities if no major progress is made regarding respect for human rights and freedoms, democratic governance and the rule of law.’
The EMHRN insists that the EU sets clear standards to the Egyptian authorities and conditions its financial aid to the country to progress in the field of human rights, including gender equality in conformity with its ‘more for more’ principle.
The EU should condition its financial support to the withdrawal of the current draft NGOs law which would totally prevent human rights NGOs from operating freely in Egypt and working with their European and international partners without hindrance and the passing of NGO law that meets Egypt’s international obligation and is in line with International standards.
Read EMHRN PR Human Rights Compromised in Egypt: What will it take for the EU to Act on its Values? (11/3/2013)
Read full text of EP resolution on Egypt (15/3/2013)