URGENT APPEAL: Protect Human Rights Defenders In Egypt
ESCR-Net: Protect human rights of protesters, journalists and human rights defenders in Egypt
The International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net), a network of 180 organizations and 43 individuals working globally to secure economic and social justice through human rights, condemns the violence currently taking place against protesters in Egypt by pro-Mubarak agents to suppress the popular support for change which has emerged since January 25, 2011. The death toll is rising, Tahrir Square is being isolated and journalists, foreign and domestic, are being attacked and their equipment confiscated. Human rights activists are also now being targeted, arrested and being labeled spies and traitors by the police.
Several people working for Hisham Mubarak Law Center and the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, Egyptian Center for Housing Rights, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have been arrested, including Mr. Ahmed Seif, Ms. Nada Sadek, Mr. Mohamed El Taher, and Ms. Mona El Masry, Mr. Khaled Ali.
Human rights activists are reporting from Egypt that the failure of the Egyptian military to provide protection to pro-democracy activists, as well as the attacks against journalists, and isolation of Tahrir Square may represent an attempt to shut out the world from witnessing grave violence yet to come.
We call on the Egyptian Government and the Military to:
■Stop the current violence against peaceful protesters and bring to justice all responsible parties
■Immediately release detained human rights activists, stop the targeting and raids of human rights organizations and activists and ensure their human rights are protected
■Stop the attacks against journalists and seizure of their equipment and protect the right to freedom of information Respect the popular demand for a transition to democracy
We call on the United States of America to:
■Support the Egyptian people's call for a peaceful transition to democracy
■Exert its influence with the Egyptian government and military to stop the violence and ensure the human rights of all Egyptians are respected
We call on the International Community, including the United Nations to:
■Support the pro-democracy protesters and ensure their human rights are protected
■Exert influence through all relevant channels and support Egyptians in their call for a peaceful transition to democracy
CONTACT INFORMATION
Egyptian Government
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Washington DC
3521 International Ct. NW, Washington DC 20008
TEL: 202.895.5400 and dial "1" for emergency
FAX: 202.244.4319; 202.244.5131
Email: Embassy@egyptembassy.net
United States Government
President Barack Obama 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20500 202-456-1414 (switchboard)
Fax: 202-456-2461 Email: president@whitehouse.gov
State Department
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
US State Dept 2201 C St., NW Washington, DC 20520 202-647-6575 (comments) and 202-647-4000 (switchboard); 202-647-5291
Fax: 202-647-6434 E-mail: secretary@state.gov
United Nations
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
United Nations New York, NY 10017 USA
212-963-5012 fax: 212-963-7055 Email: ecu@un.org
Current United Nations Security Council President
Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations
747 Third Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, N.Y.
Phone: 1(212) 3722600
Fax: 1(212) 3715716
delbrasonu@delbrasonu.org
Permanent United States Representative
Susan Rice
Press and Public Affairs Section
United States Mission to the United Nations
140 East 45th Street
New York, N.Y. 10017
Tel: 212-415-4062
Fax: 212-415-4303
Email: http://archive.usun.state.gov/Issues/Contact2.html