The session has started. Join us with your questions.
Answer
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Name
BOB
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Profession
Question
It's good that you are looking at the human rights violations of these soldiers who were killed 40 years ago but what do you have to say regarding freedom of speech in Egypt? Is it right that people are being thrwon in Jail simply for insulting your president?
thank you
Answer
It's true that Egyptians may go to jail for expressing their opinions. The Egyptian law includes many provisions that criminalize many forms of freedom of expression, we have the famous case of the blogger Karim Amer who is now in jail for two charges one of them is insulting the president.
You can get more details on similar cases on the Organization's website www.eohr.org
Thanks
Name
B
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Profession
Question
Isn't it typical that people get torutured and killed in wars ? Why is this a massive crime?
Answer
In the recent case of discovering the mass killing of Egyptian PoWs is considered a massive crime because it's a crime against humanity according to the Geneva Conventions in the first place; in addition, it was kept in secret files for more than 40 years, which is a vehement violation of international Humanitarian Law.
Declaring the number of PoWs and the casualties of war is an important task to be carried out by the combating armies and is taken for granted that by the end of a war the numbers of casualties should be clear on both sides. But when new crimes are revealed after 40 years, then it is an issue that should be brought to the international attention. We also have to consider previous crimes of the Israeli army committed not only against Egypt but also against many Arab people such as the Sabra Shatela massacre in Lebanon.
So as time goes by new crimes are revealed, which was thought by the Israeli army leaders to be forgotten.
Name
Ashraf Ibrahim
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Profession
Question
Why isn't Egypt doing anything about it?
Answer
As a part of the civil society in Egypt, EOHR and other human rights organizations are pressuring the Egyptian Government to take action in this issue. We asked the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to view a copy of the documentary in concern and to take legal measures on the international level.
The Egyptian Government should demand an official apology for all the war crimes committed by IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) in 1967 and 1956 and to take all international measures to prevent IDF from committing these crimes against Egyptians or any other Arab armies. Also suitable compensations should be offered by the Israeli government to the families of victims.
Name
Mostafa
- United Arab Emirates
Profession
Mechanical Engineer
Question
Does Egypt have the capabilities of moving this issue to the international level? and what kind of reparations are expected from Israel?
Answer
Egypt has all the capabilities to take this issue to the international level, reaching even the level of demanding international tribunals and involving international humanitarian organizations in investigating war crimes. Also, we demanded the Egyptian government to call for the UN's Security Council to form a special tribunal to try Israeli officers and soldiers accused of killing Egyptian PoWs modeled on the Tribunal formed to investigate the assassination of PM El-Hariri of Lebanon.
What is required to have a public pressure by civil society and human rights organizations to mobilize the Egyptian government to take such actions.
Name
Ahmad Mohamed
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Profession
Web Developer
Question
What does the Government should do about the people opinions in this issue? should they ignore us as they always do? or will they do something this time?
Answer
The Egyptian government should listen to all public opinions concerning this issue and to respond. Despite that, this issue has been brought to public since the 1980's, and different political powers in Egypt asked the government to listen to their demand, which was to prepare a special file on all crimes of war and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli army.
This case became a concern of the common citizens who are deprived of their rights. The government efforts should be concentrated more to meet the peoples demands.
Name
Rashdan
- Egypt
Profession
Question
If the issue of the Egyptian captives being tortured is old, why didn't the Egyptian organizations -- like yours -- act since then ?
Answer
This issue is discussed since early the 1980's; it was one of the top issues on the agenda of EOHR since its establishment in 1985.
EOHR has presented many reports and petitions to the Prosecutor General to start a lawsuit and to run investigations in these crimes as these crimes are criminalized under the Egyptian Penal Code and also international charters such as the Geneva Conventions.
EOHR also issued a book in 1997 entitled "Crime and Punishment: Restore PoWs rights and Try the Perpetrators," which included proofs and live testimonies on the crimes committed by Israeli officers and soldiers.
Name
Asa
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Profession
Question
Can you please explain your efforts and steps that you took concerning the Shakid film and the whole thing about the Egyptian captives of 1967?
Answer
EOHR presented many reports and petitions and also sent letters to the heads of the Parliament and the Shura Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Council for Human Rights, and the Human Rights Office at the Arab League to pressure the Egyptian Government to put the issue of the Egyptian PoWs on the top of the agendas, and to open dialogues with the Israeli government in run investigations in the Shakida massacre to reveal the names of the perpetrators. The results of these investigations should be published in public with international supervision.
EOHR also prepares a file that would include many of these crimes committed against the Egyptian PoWs in wars of 1956 and 1967 to be presented to the Egyptian government, for it to take the suitable measures to expose these crimes and to present the perpetrators to justice.
Name
A. Waheed
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Profession
Question
As an Egyptian: how can i help to take revenge for our dignity?
Answer
EOHR is organizing a campaign to gather signatures to demand presenting the perpetrators of war crimes to justice. The crimes committed by the Israeli army cannot be accepted by anyone and we have to mobalize all efforts to pressure the Egyptian government to take the required measures. You can follow the news of the campaign on our website www.eohr.org
