Ägypten am Abgrund: Ashton muss Militärprozesse und Menschenrechtsverletzungen klar verurteilen

Heute wurde der Prozess gegen den Demokratieaktivisten Maikel Nabil vor einem ägyptischen Militärgericht wieder aufgenommen. Aus diesem Anlass haben die Europaabgeordneten Franziska Brantner (Grüne) und Marietje Schaake (ALDE) die EU-Außenbeauftragte Catherine Ashton aufgefordert, endlich zu handeln. Während sich Ägypten auf die Wahlen am 28. November vorbereitet, geraten die bürgerliche Freiheiten und Menschenrechte in dem Land immer stärker unter Druck. Die EU und Catherine Ashton jedoch reagieren darauf nur mit leeren Phrasen und scheinen der Militärjunta in Kairo nichts entgegenzusetzen zu haben.

Lesen Sie dazu die Pressemitteilung von Franziska Brantner und Marietje Schaake vom 1. November 2011 (auf Englisch):

Egypt at the brink: Ashton needs to speak out firmly against military trials and human rights abuses

On the occasion of today’s reopening of the military trial against Egyptian activist Maikel Nabil and the ongoing large scale military trials against civilians, Members of European Parliament Franziska Brantner (GREENS) and Marietje Schaake (ALDE) demand action from the EU’s High Representative Catherine Ashton. As the elections of 28 November 2011 approach, civil liberties and human rights are threatened more than ever in Egypt since the revolution [1]. At the same time the EU and Catherine Ashton speak in empty phrases and seem unresponsive towards the army junta.

On 9 October 2011, Mr Tantawi, Chief Commander of the Egyptian Armed Forces announced that Egyptian civilians will no longer face trial before military courts. In reality however, military trials and torture against civilians continue unchanged. On 28 October 2011 Ms Ashton responded to an urgent letter send to her on 16 August 2011 by a large cross party coalition of MEPs, stating that the EU welcomed the statement of the Egyptian authorities as a “fundamental and necessary step” stating that the “interim authorities at last decided on 15 September 2011 to stop referring civilians to military courts”. Full stop. No further call on the Egyptian authorities to actually implement their pledges and to respect fundamental human rights. This is unacceptable. Ms Brantner and Ms Schaake urge the High Representative to re-examine the facts and to support the European Parliament, which has condemned military trials for civilians in the strongest terms (see their letter to Ms Ashton of 1 November 2011 (pdf)).

Despite intense pressure from Egyptian human rights organizations and from some actors abroad, calling for his immediate release and lifting of a three year prison sentence for insulting the army, the military trial of Maikel Nabil, 25, who has been on hunger strike since 23 August 2011, will be reopened [2]. On 30 October 2011 the prominent revolutionaries Alaa Abdel Fatah and Bahaa Saber were summoned to the C28 headquarters by the military prosecution. After denouncing the legitimacy of their interrogators and demanding a civil judiciary they were sentenced to respectively 15 days of prison and house arrest, a period that can renewed indefinitely. On 27 October 2011 the tortured body of 23 year old Essam Atta was given back to his family; tortured to death at the military prison of Tora where he had been sentenced to two years in prison by a military court. Concerns have been expressed that the thousands of citizens tried before military courts will be prohibited from voting during the upcoming elections.

It is now high time for the EU to recognize to the deteriorating situation in Egypt and ensure the EU’s voice against torture and human rights abuses is heard loudly and clearly. If the EU chooses to stand aside it risks losing its frail credibility and leverage in the region and beyond of taking human rights and democracy seriously.

[1] The recent weeks have seen a very worrying trend in the human rights situation in Egypt. As the 28th November elections approach the military continues to hold the emergency law in place and there is intense pressure on independent media outlets which has led to the most prominent TV stations stopping to discuss political sensitive issues.

[2] Egyptian blogger and democracy activist Maikel Nabil was sentenced to three years in prison by a military court in April 2011 for “slander of the Egyptian forces”. He has been on hunger strike since August 23. Following mounting local and international pressure the military court of appeal exceptionally declared his judgment “null and void” but failed to release him, transferring him to a psychiatric hospital instead.