AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

FACTS OF THE CASE:

Dr. Ibrahim Khalil al-Za'farani, Secretary General of the Alexandria branch of the Medical Syndicate and head of its human rights committee, was re-arrested on 22 January 1998, just hours after his release from prison upon completion of a three-year prison term with hard labor. No reason was given for his re-arrest.

Dr. al-Za'farani was reportedly summoned to the State Security Investigations Department on the day of his release. He was held there until 26 January, when he was transferred to Mazara'at Tora Prison and issued a new detention order. Dr. al-Za'farani is currently under administrative detention.

Initially arrested on 22 January 1995, Dr. al-Za'farani was charged with "membership in a secret organization which aims to overthrow the regime by force, contacts with foreign quarters and possession of hostile printed material," based on his association with the Muslim Brothers organization. Despite the fact that the Muslim Brothers do not advocate or condone violence, he was among seven physicians sentenced by the Egyptian Supreme Military Court on 23 November 1995.

The administrative detention of Dr. al-Za'farani after the completion of his prison term constitutes a serious violation of basic international standards, many of which are included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Egypt is a State Party. They include:

Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted without opposition by the United Nations' General Assembly on 10 December 1948, which incorporates many universal principles binding on all nations as part of customary international law:

• everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of the person (Article 3);
• no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile (Article 9); and
• everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers (Article 19).

Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which has been ratified by Egypt, Egypt has a legally binding obligation to respect the following rights:

• the right to freedom of expression and to receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds (Article 19);
• the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly (Articles 21 and 22); and
• the rights to liberty and security of the person (Article 9).

(Source of information on this case is Amnesty International.)

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send faxes or airmail letters:

• expressing concern about the re-arrest of Dr. al-Za'farani; and
• urging Dr. al-Za'farani's immediate and unconditional release from custody.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

His Excellency General Habib al-Abdeli
Minister of the Interior
Ministry of the Interior
Al-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk
Cairo, Egypt
Fax: 011 202 355 7792
Salutation: Dear Minister

His Excellency Faruq Sayf al-Ansr
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice
Midan Lazoghly
Cairo, Egypt
Fax: 011 202 355 8103
Salutation: Dear Minister

Ms. Nayla Gabr
Human Rights Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Corniche al-Nil
Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +011 202 723 173


Mr. Raga al-Arabi
Public Prosecutor
Dar al-Qadha al-Ali
Ramses Street
Cairo, Egypt

COPIES SENT TO:

Isma'il Sallam
Minister of Health
Ministry of Health
Magles al-Sha'ab Street
Cairo, Egypt
011 202 355 152


Prof. Aziz el-Matri
Union des medcins arabes
PO Box 290
Mahrajene
1082
Tunisia
Fax: 011 216 1 889 293


Egyptian Medical Syndicate
"Dar el Hekmah"
42 Kasr el-'Eini Street
Cairo, Egypt
Fax: 011 202 356 2751


Ambassador Edward S. Walker, Jr.
APO AE 0983904900
AMEMB UN 23227
AMEMB UN
Fax: 011 202 357 3049


Ambassador Ahmed Maher El Sayed
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 202-244-4319/5131

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