Egypt's Criminalization of Human Rights Advocacy

• In Event: Promoting Human Rights: The Role of Law and Courts

Abstract

Abstract:
Egypt has weaponized the Rule of Law. Drawing on human rights literature, oral history, and review of criminal and civil statutes, this article explores how Egypt criminalized human rights advocacy and why it chose law as its tool of repression. Divided into three parts, this article first discusses how Egypt “legalized human rights” (Simmons 2009) through treaty ratification after World War II and how Egyptian Presidents from Sadat to Sisi publicly espoused the importance human rights. Part two examines how Egypt’s practice contradicts its rhetoric focusing on the country’s NGO registration law, Protest Law, Penal Code, and Terrorist Law. Such laws contain vague and highly discretionary language allowing the State to prosecute conduct it deems a threat to “public order” or “national unity.” Finally, part three argues that though international human rights law has proven largely ineffective, some glimmers of judicial independence still remain that could mitigate Egypt’s current crackdown.

Author

• Carol J. Gray, University of Connecticut