Laila Takla

“In Europe, too, racism — one of the worst human rights violations — is widespread. Related to this is the way European countries handle the problem of refugees. There, they are not even treated as human beings, in contrast to Egypt which, according to a report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, is one of the most humane countries in its treatment of refugees (see Article 14). Egypt does not pen up refugees in camps. They are welcome as ordinary members of society and enjoy the same rights and duties as others.”

“With respect to the right to life, liberty and security of person (Article 3), Egypt’s efforts to fight for peace and security through its fight against terrorism have received worldwide admiration and recognition. One of the government’s main responsibilities is to meet the people’s need for safety and security and it has met with considerable success in this domain.”

“Unfortunately, the question of human rights is sometimes used as a propaganda tool. In this regard, Egypt has recently been the focus of another wave of criticism by parties driven by political, economic or personal agendas and whose attacks rely on unsubstantiated sources or plain fiction. As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the mother of human rights instruments, it seems worth making a calm and reasoned assessment of how Egypt truly fares in terms of its provisions.”

“The right to peace, justice and development is enshrined in the declaration’s preamble. Egypt has a solid record in the pursuit of these goals. It has struggled to realise ambitious developmental aims despite arduous circumstances and limited resources. Its war against terrorism helps protect the region and the world from this blight while the government has made more progress in development in recent years than previous governments had in 50 years.”

“Egypt has an honourable history in the advocacy and defence of human rights, unlike some countries that always attack Egypt on its human rights record.”