Africa

Home page

Africa

Egyptian government repeatedly violates constitution: ANHRI

18 November 2014 18:52 (UTC +04:00)

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said on Tuesday that it recorded violations of more than a dozen articles in the newly-amended constitution adopted overwhelmingly in January.

"These violations are severe, which requires immediate action to correct this mistake, or rather this crime!" the group said, adding that the violations have been mostly committed in the constitution’s freedoms and rights section.

The violations included holding detainees in unknown places for extended periods and torturing the captives while denying them the right to report abuse, ANHRI's report said.

The group added that the displacement of residents living on Egypt’s border with the besieged Gaza Strip was also among the violations.

It further noted that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has also violated the charter by deporting foreign defendants who are still on trial or have been sentenced whenever he deems it in Egypt’s interest.

More than 98 percent of participants in Egypt’s referendum voted in favor of the military-backed constitution in January, with just over a third of the electorate taking part in the vote.

It was the first vote in Egypt after former army chief al-Sisi ousted former president, Mohamed Morsi, from power, suspended the constitution and dissolved the parliament on July 3, 2013.