Remarks on Egypt’s human rights report 'not hostile': official

CAIRO - 14 November 2019: Mohamed Fayek, head of the National Council for Human Rights, said most of the countries' comments and reports on Egypt's human rights situation and report were generally fair and not hostile.

Fayek left for Geneva to attend the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Egypt, before the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday.

Concerning the remarks of some countries on the human rights situation in Egypt, Fayek said that some of the comments were positive. Fayek, in this regard, praised the efforts of the government, represented by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Omar Marwan, in preparing Egypt's UPR report.

Many of the comments indicated the government's positive response to many of the recommendations and resolutions of the last periodic review, Fayek said, adding that, on the other hand, comments of some of the European countries on the human rights situation in Egypt were not positive.

He noted that many countries highlighted the significance of the role of the National Council for Human Rights, and that there were calls to give further support to the council.

Minister Marwan said earlier that Egypt has adopted a policy protecting and supporting human rights.

He added that Egypt’s policy in this regard comes in accordance with the related international agreements and charters, adhering to the “values and principles of the country’s national identity.”

This policy observes the principles of equality and justice among all citizens, enhancing all forms of political, civil, political, economic, social and cultural human rights in a balanced way so that “no right can be observed at the expense of another,” he emphasized.