Within the framework of the program of
"freedom for all" aiming at raising lawyers awareness to defend
the detainees, Maat Center for Juridical and Constitutional
Studies organized the second seminar in Fayoum entitled "the
recurrent detention and emergency law". The first seminar was
held in Legal Profession Institute in Aex.
Around 150 lawyers have taken part in
the seminar. It discussed three papers. The first paper was
presented by Mr. Gamal Abdel Aziz, director of the Arab Network
of Human Rights Information; the second paper was presented by
Mr. Mahmoud Al Hawwary, lawyers' representative in Fayoum. The
third paper was presented by Mr. Eid Sayed Abdallah, the
reporter of the legislative committee in the Bar Association in
Fayoum. Mr. Montaser Al Zayyat, a member of Bar Association's
council, was the commentator of the seminar. The seminar was
conducted by Mr. Ahmed Darwish, lawyer. The seminar included a
discussion on parts from movies embodying torture in the
Egyptian cinema such as "Al Baree' – Al Karnak – Ehan Betou Al
Aotobees". In addition, the participants heard the statements of
some citizens experienced detention.
The participants demands the immediate
release for the Egyptian detainees and rule of law and respect
of judicial verdicts. They accused the Egyptian system of
breaking and breaching all laws even emergency law itself
assuring although this law is rejected by the national will and
powers, the Egyptian government insists to breach it and strip
detainees of the minimum guarantees ensured by this law.
The participants accused the political
system of idiocy saying that it is not good in the treatment
with the substantial issues and paid attention to the necessity
of stopping the recurrent detention. In addition, they demanded
the enforcement of release orders issued for the detainees and
stopping the false release.
The participants declared their
solidarity with and their fair demands of independency.
Additionally, they stressed that they do not support specific
judges but they support the independency of judiciary in
general.
The participants expressed their
concern to terrorism law which is under preparation now as an
alternate to emergency law stressing that it will be more
restraining for general freedoms. They demanded the ministry of
interior to enforce the emergency law without breaches stating
as long as we could not drive the government to stop emergency
law we have to demand the enforcement without breaches.
Motaser Al Zayyat asserted that the
Egyptian government could not stop emergency law and said that
the National Democratic Party could not live without this
exceptional law because it lacks legitimacy and popularity and
rule on the basis of the forgery of electors will. He added that
this party needs a law granting it authorities to break and
harass citizens and give authorities for state security to
arrest and detain without inspection.
He added we live with unfair government
that does not enforce emergency law. In addition, he added that
the government does not give citizens the minimum guarantees
rendered by this law. He stressed on the right of the detainee
to complain and communicate with his family and avail himself of
a lawyer. He compared the government to the infidel group of
Korish who was creating statues of dates and when they got
hungry they eat them.
Gamal Abdel Aziz referred to the lack
of a law similar to the emergency law in Egypt like any other
country. He stressed that the law gives the detainee the right
to complain however the government annulled the right of the
State Council to consider the complaint and refered this right
to state security courts, and in this case the state is the
defendant and judge at the same time.
He added the biggest number of Egyptian
nationals killed beyond law hand were in the nineties. This
number is estimated to be more than people killed in the period
of the British occupation and late president Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Gamal connected between disasters going
on now as a result of the continuation of emergency law, large
number of detainees and judges problem stating that "if we have
independent judiciary then it could stop emergency law. But if
the judiciary is independent the government could not be tyrant
any more.
Mahmoud Al Hawary added freedoms is
declining day by day. The governor of Egypt is not a political
system but it is political disorder. He added that there is no a
political system does such practices like the Egyptian system.
He also described the Egyptian political system as idiot.
He believes that judiciary independence
is a matter of national security. In addition, judges who
undergoing trial now are honorable stressting that there are
corrupt judges still free.
Mr. Eid added that we have brought up
in emergency environment that affected on citizens badly and
humiliated them. The emergency law should be applied in specific
situations with certain conditions but in fact what is applied
is the state of emergency without keeping to its provisions, for
example it gives the detainee some rights but in fact he does
not benefit from them. In addition, he stressed that the
emergency failed in its main purpose for which it is applied to
keep security and order.
Ayman Okail stressed that it is
difficult to keep silent about the issue of the detainees and
stressed that violation against detainees is not only
restraining freedom but it extends to health and corporal
violations and violations against his right to education other
than psychological and mental pressures and what all family
experiences such as poverty and children delinquency.
In addition, detainees imprisoned
without charges or trials are a hazardous bombs that will
explode anytime.
Also, he condemned what happened in Cairo that turned to be
military sites because of sieges to prevent peaceful
demonstrations and supporting judges as more than 400 persons
were detained in the course of the trial of the consultants
Mekky and Al Bastawisy that concluded with the release of the
former and reproach to the latter.
