Egypt's EIPR submits request to govt to legalize its status

Cairo – 3 December 2020:  The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) submitted a request to the Ministry of Social Solidarity to legalize its status and reconcile its papers in accordance with the laws regulating civil associations to avoid any violations.

EIPR affirmed its readiness to work in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the work of NGOs, to avoid any misunderstanding regarding the initiative's work.

The initiative also stressed its readiness to facilitate the tasks of officials at the Ministry of Social Solidarity in their mission related to legalizing their status.

Earlier Thursday, Egypt’s Public Prosecution released, Gasser Abdel Razek, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), along with other members of the Initiative pending investigations in their case.

The released members are Karim Ennarah, EIPR’s Criminal Justice Unit Director and Muhammad Bashir, the administrative director at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.

The initiative, previously submitted a petition to the attorney general to release its imprisoned employees.

On November 27, Prosecution of the Supreme State Security Service renewed the detention of Mohamed Bashir, for 15 days pending investigations.

Ennarah, EIPR’s Criminal Justice Unit Director, was arrested in Dahab, South Sinai on November 18, while Bashir, was arrested on November 15. Also, the group's executive director Gasser Abdel-Razek was arrested on November 19 from his home in Maadi district, southern Cairo.

They are facing accusations of joining a terrorist group and committing terrorism and finance-related crime.