Annual Report of The National Council for Human Rights

Foreword

In 1945, the United Nations' Charter laid the cornerstone for individuals to enjoy a number of rights after its drafters correlated the relation between international peace and security on one hand, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons without discrimination on the other. The United Nations did not settle for incorporating into its Charter several provisions on human rights, but it set out to supplement these provisions by adopting many international instruments and agreements covering various aspects of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In the forefront of these provisions the "International Legitimacy of Human Rights" take place, which comprise the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966; and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966. This is in addition to the First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant under which the Commission on Human Rights is to receive and review letters submitted by victims of violations in respect of any of the rights therein enshrined.

At the internal Egyptian level, upon the enactment of the Constitution of 1923, the Egyptian political system then in power contained provisions granting human rights and freedoms to citizens. This political system found ideological and cultural bases in its ancient Egyptian heritage and in the Islamic culture, which regards the individual as a revered creature enjoying, by virtue of his humanity, a number of rights and freedoms that proscribe any political authority from violation or infringement thereof. This reverence has been reflected in the subsequent Egyptian constitutions, the most important of which were the Constitution of 1956 enacted following the Revolution of 1952, the Constitution of the United Arab Republic signed in 1958 following the union of Egypt and Syria, and finally, the present Constitution enacted in 1971.

With these constitutional provisions and the legislations issued there under, the Egyptian judiciary assumed a leading and honourable role in granting judicial protection to the rights and freedoms of Egyptians. At the forefront of these rights and freedoms are the right to life and security of individuals, freedom of belief and expression, the right to private property, the right to resort to courts of law, and the right to fair investigation and trial when charged with an offence.

The Egyptian legislator promulgated Law no. 94 of 2003 on the establishment of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) amid a shift in world-wide public opinion towards more protection of rights and freedoms and amid greater emphasis on political, constitutional and economic reform in Egypt and radical changes thereto.

The most important changes were:

     - The gradual shift from a socialist regime to an economy driven by forces of           supply and demand and by private sector enterprises,
       - The transfer from a one-party political regime to a multi-party one,
       - The increased awareness of the importance of public participation in political           and economic decision-making to achieve economic growth and development.

The object of this law is to promote, ensure respect, set values, raise awareness and ensure observance of human rights.
Accordingly, the first NCHR was established in Egypt, and its first meeting was held on 18 February 2004. According to Article 13 of this law, the NCHR shall prepare an annual report covering its efforts and activities and shall incorporate therein recommendations deemed appropriate within its functions, and shall present its report to the President of the Republic, the Head of the People's Assembly and the Head of the Shoura Council.

This is the first report prepared by the NCHR in application of its promulgating Law and it outlines the activities of the NCHR from 14 February 2004 up to the end of February 2005.