Rights groups call on Egypt parliament to reject proposed criminal procedure code News
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Rights groups call on Egypt parliament to reject proposed criminal procedure code

Several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists, have jointly called on Egypt’s parliament to reject a proposed draft of the criminal procedure code on Wednesday. They argue that if passed, the draft bill would further entrench systemic abuses in Egypt’s legal system.

The Egyptian government introduced the draft in early 2024, and it is set for parliamentary debate in October. Pro-government media claim the bill was crafted following the 2023 National Dialogue, a series of discussions involving government officials, opposition figures, and civil society groups focused on issues such as political prisoners and pre-trial detention.

However, human rights advocates argue that the draft legislation undermines international legal standards. Mahmoud Shalaby, Amnesty International’s Egypt researcher, criticised the proposal, stating, “The draft CPC does not meet international human rights standards and will have a catastrophic impact on the rights of defendants before and during trial”.

Amnesty International also published a detailed analysis of the draft code. As Egypt has been a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) since 1967, it must guarantee essential rights such as prompt judicial review and adequate legal defence. Despite these obligations, the proposed changes would preserve broad powers for prosecutors, allowing them to detain individuals for up to 150 days without judicial oversight for specific charges like “false news” or blasphemy—charges frequently used against journalists and human rights defenders.

While the draft shortens the overall pre-trial detention period, Amnesty International highlights that Egyptian authorities often use a practice known as “rotation,” where new charges are filed on similar or identical grounds to prolong detention beyond legal limits. This tactic is used to keep political dissidents, activists, and journalists in custody without formal trials.

The proposed amendments also grant prosecutors powers to question suspects without the presence of the accused or their legal representatives if deemed “necessary to reveal the truth.” In this context, Amnesty International pointed out the critical nature of effective representation to prevent torture, coerced confessions, enforced disappearances, and other forms of ill-treatment.

Furthermore, the rights groups claimed the draft was discussed without proper public consultation with relevant stakeholders. They have called on the Egyptian authorities to prepare a new draft in line with international human rights standards following consultation with NGOs, independent experts, victims, and lawyers.

Egypt has faced criticism on numerous occasions over its human rights violations as the country’s crackdown on dissidents and activists continues. A coalition of 59 Egyptian and international civil society organizations recently called for the release of Egypt’s most prominent political activist as his lawyer revealed that authorities might extend his detention. Moreover, Amnesty International revealed in a report that Egyptian security forces have detained 119 people, including at least one child, in July for participating in anti-government protests.

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