Case number 173 related to NGOs expected to be closed by September, lawyer Najad al-Borai

CAIRO – 15 August 2023: Human rights lawyer Najad al-Borai, expected case number 173 of 2014 related to NGOs, in which 43 Egyptian and foreign organizations were being accused, to be completely closed by next September, in conjunction with the next National Dialogue sessions in regard with human rights.

In statements to Egypt Today, the Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue member said that there are number of indications that helped him to expect the permanent closure of the case; most notably the release of the activists: Haitham Muhammadin, Amr Imam and Muhammad Al-Baqer.

Ending case 173 of 2014

He noted that the whole recent presidential pardon decisions could cause a major shift in the state's relationship with human rights organizations, and thus civil society organizations can play a non-political role in improving human rights conditions in Egypt and implementing the national strategy for human rights.

“At the beginning of the National Dialogue sessions, number of the human rights activists submitted requests to the general coordinator of the National Dialogue Diaa Rashwan, demanding the closure of Case No. 173 which was open since 2011” Borai said.

He added that this case was still including 30 of the most important human rights leaders in Egypt.

Most of the demands that was summited namely listed three activists, were: Haitham Muhammadin, Amr Imam and Muhammad Al-Baqer.

According to the activist lawyer, also researcher Patrick Zaki was demanded to be released and to be allowed to travel, along with human rights activists Nasser Amin and Hoda Abdel Wahab.

“I can say that 80% of these claims have already been achieved,” Borai told Egypt Today.

He explained that Patrick Zaki has already been released and traveled, as all other activists whom been demanded to be released from prison.

“Now, we are working on Case No. 173 in depth, and I have hope that it would be completely ended and closed, before the start of the discussions of the Human Rights Committee in the national dialogue, which will not be later than the beginning of September.” Borai said.

Ending this case according to al Borai will make a major shift in the state's relationship with human rights organizations in Egypt.

 He noted that ‘this transformation’ will become part of the political discussions in society, and therefore civil society organizations can play a non-political role to improve conditions Human rights in Egypt and the implementation of Egypt’s National Strategy for Human Rights.

That, according to Borai couldn’t be happening before, because NGOs were not possible to cooperate with the government while being accused in a legal case. But by ending the case, something different could take place.

Pre-trial detention file

In his statements to ET, human rights lawyer Najad al-Borai valued the work of the presidential pardoning committee, praising all their efforts to release prisoners; hover, he noted that the whole Pretrial detention file in Egypt needs to be reviewed again.

“When discussing new presidential term, and new perspective and future for the country, we need to talking about new policies.” He said.

He noted that for new policies to be achieved, other old ones need to be terminated, especially if are no longer beneficial to any party. “At the forefront of these files is ending the pre-trial detention in Egypt”.

These claims do not deny that there are releases that occur daily, and we are happy with it, however, we hope that it will continue and be at a faster pace and that pre-trial detention would be completely ended.

‘This of course would require the formation of a committee supervised by the Attorney General, that would include qualified people and just judges.’ Borai explained.

Egypt needs more dialogues

lawyer Najad al-Borai expected that the National dialogue could end by September; however, he noted that Egypt needs more dialogues that look like the national dialogue in which discussions were “honest and free.”

“Everyone expressed their opinion freely,” Borai said, adding that differences were accepted and embraced, knowing that it comes as part of free opinions while discussing matters related the state’s policies.

He said that the Human Rights Committee of the National Dialogue has made 3 important recommendations to be included in the dialogue final recommendations that will be submitted to the Board of Trustees and then to the President.

There three recommendations included, the Freedom of Information, Academic Freedoms, and Anti-Discrimination.

lawyer al-Borai said that continuous dialogues between different political parties in Egypt away from the parliamentary entities including: House of Representatives and the Senate, will help all decision-makers in Egypt and give them multiple points of view of which they can build their decision based on it.