Ongoing harassment of FVAFD and its founder
On 2 October 2016, Ebram Louis and the Maspero Youth Union filed a request to the authorities in Giza to hold a peaceful protest before the Maspero Building in commemoration of the Copt protesters massacre committed by the security forces on 9 October 2011. Two days later, the authorities have responded negatively and rejected the request. Security matters were given as a reason to ban the protest; the organizers did not recieve any official rejection document. In addition, it was reported that some organizers were threatened by the authorities.
On 6 September 2016, the Court of Administrative Justice was going to decide if the Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance (FVAFD) could register under Egypt's Association Law, amid ongoing intimidation of its founder. However, the case was postponed again to 26 October 2016.
Ebram Louis is an Egyptian human rights defender and advocates for women rights and minorities’ rights. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation Of The Victims Of Abduction And Forced Disappearance (FVAFD), a non-profit foundation that works on providing legal aid, material support and other assistance to victims of violence, assault, abduction and enforced disappearance. The organisation monitors human rights violations with a special focus on marginalized groups and religious and ethnic minorities, and combats discrimination against them. The organisation has been working since 2010.
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- 26 March 2017 : Hearing postponed
- 4 October 2016 : Protest against Maspero massacre banned
- 24 August 2016 : Ongoing harassment of FVAFD and its founder
- 10 September 2015 : Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance denied urgent hearing of lawsuit
- 23 January 2015 : Denial of registration of Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance
On 26 March 2017, the Court of Administrative Justice of the State Council in Egypt decided to postpone a hearing in a case brought by the Foundation Of The Victims Of Abduction And Forced Disappearance (FVAFD) until 14 May 2017 after a fine of 300 EGP was given to the government by the Court for continuing to obstruct the court case by failing to provide arguments in the case.
On 2 October 2016, Ebram Louis and the Maspero Youth Union filed a request to the authorities in Giza to hold a peaceful protest before the Maspero Building in commemoration of the Copt protesters massacre committed by the security forces on 9 October 2011. Two days later, the authorities have responded negatively and rejected the request. Security matters were given as a reason to ban the protest; the organizers did not recieve any official rejection document. In addition, it was reported that some organizers were threatened by the authorities.
Update: On 6 September 2016, the Court of Administrative Justice was going to decide if the Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance (FVAFD) could register under Egypt's Association Law, amid ongoing intimidation of its founder. However, the case was postponed again to 26 October 2016.
In December 2014, the Ministry of Social Solidarity denied registration of FVAFD under the Egyptian Associations Law (Law 84 of 2002). Although the Ministry failed to provide official reasons for denying the registration, it has verbally stated that the reasons were related to “security concerns”. In February 2015, FVAFD filed a lawsuit before the Court of Administrative Justice to challenge this decision and in September 2015, the Court denied an urgent hearing of this lawsuit. Since June 2016, the judgement has been postponed three times.
The delay of the settlement of the lawsuit coincides with the ongoing intimidation of Ebran Louis, who was summoned for questioning by the National Security Agency in June 2016. He was questioned about his human rights activities, his sources of funding and income and his ties with international human rights groups. He was also warned that he may face serious charges if he does not stop his work on the rights of religious minorities and forced disappearance in Egypt.
On 13 August 2016, following his participation in a protest in central Cairo to ensure that Christians have the right to freely build or renovate their churches without discrimination, the human rights defender received a phone call from a person who identified themselves as an officer from the National Security Agency. In the call, the officer berated him for taking part in the protest and warned him that he may face problems if he organises or takes part in other protests. The next day, Ebram Louis was informally summoned again for interrogation, but his lawyer advised him not to go.
The restrictions imposed on Egyptian civil society and human rights defenders have been intensifying over recent years. Front Line Defenders is concerned at the denial of registration of the Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance and the effects this has on the work of the organisation.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Egypt to:
1. Permit the registration of the Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance, and ensure that it is able to operate freely without intimidation or harassment of its members;
2. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Egypt are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
On 2 September 2015 the Administrative Court of the State Council denied the Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance (FVAFD) an urgent hearing of a lawsuit, which it had filed in February 2015 against the Ministry of Social Solidarity's initial decision regarding the registration of the organisation.
FVAFD is a non-profit foundation that provides legal aid, material support and other assistance to victims of violence, assault, abduction and enforced disappearance. The organisation monitors human rights violations with a special focus on marginalised groups and religious and ethnic minorities, and combats discrimination against them. FVAFD has been operational since 2010. Mr Ebram Louis, Chairman of its Board of Trustees, is a human rights defender and advocate for Egyptian women's rights and minorities’ rights.
No legal grounds were specified for the decision to deny an urgent hearing of this lawsuit, which followed FVAFD's request to the Administrative Court of the State Council seven months previously for such a hearing, as provided for under Egyptian law. On 1 July 2015, proceedings were adjourned for two months in order for the court to decide whether to allow an urgent hearing. This appears to have been an attempt to further delay the settlement of the lawsuit and its referral to the Judicial Commissioners' Board. The decision taken on 2 September 2015 to deny the urgent hearing was not announced publicly, and the hearing of the lawsuit is scheduled to recommence on 22 November 2015.
On 14 October 2014, FVAFD submitted all the documents required for the registration of an association under Egyptian Associations Law (Law 84 of 2002) to the Ministry of Social Solidarity. The same day, Ebram Louis received confirmation that the documents had been received. Article 6 of Law 84 of 2002 stipulates that “The legal personality of the association shall be established by carrying out this registration or with the lapse of sixty days from the date the representative of the founders group submits the registration application duly fulfilled, whichever is earlier”. Since the organisation received no reply from the Ministry of Social Solidarity within the designated period, the organisation contacted the Ministry to issue the certificate of registration. However, the Ministry informed them at that stage that the request for registration had been rejected due to security concerns. The letter of rejection was dated 29 December 2014 and was not sent to Ebram Louis or any other FVAFD representative.
Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned at the restrictions imposed on Egyptian civil society, which have intensified over recent years. In July 2014, Front line Defenders produced a short documentary on the crackdown against civil society in Egypt:
Front Line Defenders believes that the actions taken against FVAFD are solely motivated by their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities, and are aimed at silencing human rights defenders in Egypt.
The Ministry of Social Solidarity has denied registration of the Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance (FVAFD) under Egyptian Associations Law (Law 84 of 2002). Although the Ministry failed to provide official reasons for denying the registration, it has verbally acknowledged that the reasons are related to “security concerns”.
FVAFD is a non-profit foundation that works on providing legal aid, material support and other assistance to victims of violence, assault, abduction and enforced disappearance. The organisation monitors human rights violations with a special focus on marginalized groups and religious and ethnic minorities, and combats discrimination against them. The organisation has been working since 2010. Mr Ebram Louis, Chairman of its Board of Trustees, is a human rights defender and advocate for Egyptian women rights and minorities’ rights.
On 14 October 2014, the organisation submitted all the documents required for the registration of an association under the Egyptian Association Law to the Ministry of Social Solidarity. The same day, Ebram Louis received confirmation that the documents had been received. Article 6 of Law 84 of 2002 stipulates that “The legal personality of the association shall be established by carrying out this registration or with the lapse of sixty days from the date the representative of the founders group submits the registration application duly fulfilled, whichever is earlier”. Since the organisation received no reply from the Ministry of Social Solidarity within the designated period, the organisation contacted the Ministry to issue the certificate of registration. However, the Ministry argued that the request for registration had been rejected due to security concerns. The letter of rejection was dated 29 December 2014 and was not sent to Ebram Louis.
Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned at the restrictions imposed on Egyptian civil society, that have been intensifying over recent years. We are concerned at the denial of registration of the Foundation of the Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance, which occurred despite the fact that the Ministry of Social Solidarity publicly warned human rights NGOs to register under Association Law No.84/2002 or be prosecuted. In July 2014, Front line Defenders produced a short documentary on the crackdown against civil society in Egypt, which can be found at this link.
Front Line Defenders believes that the actions taken against FVAFD are solely motivated by their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities, and are aimed at silencing human rights defenders in Egypt.
