Eleven US non-governmental organizations and think tanks have urged President Barack Obama in a letter sent to the White House “to engage preventively and use all available means to make clear to President Al-Sisi that there will be serious consequences if there is a further crackdown on NGOs.”
“It is essential that your administration not take a 'wait-and-see' approach to this serious threat,” the letter warned.
The letter was written before the final date declared by Egyptian government for NGOs to register before 10 November according to the 2002 law on associations. “The situation for NGOs has become particularly urgent because the government has announced its intention to force them to register by 10 November or face legal consequences,” it said.
“We urge you to make good on your recently stated commitment “to stand with the courageous citizens and brave civil society groups who are working for equality, opportunity, justice and human dignity all over the world” and make clear the consequences of enforcing such a restrictive law are a central concern for the US- Egypt bilateral partnership,” it added.
The letter also called for “more robust engagement by your [US] administration on the Egyptian government’s current efforts to target independent non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and likely shut down organizations that do not register under a highly restrictive 2002 law.”
The letter also concluded that “this effort may well end most independent civil society work in the country.”
“As you may know, the 2002 Law on Associations empowers the government to shut down any group virtually at will, freeze its assets, confiscate its property, reject nominees to its governing board, block its funding, and deny requests to affiliate with international organizations. In addition, registration is often not granted to any organization viewed as critical of the government,” the letter explained. “. The law provides prison terms for what would become “unauthorized activities” if the groups refuse to register or are not granted registration. The law clearly violates international freedom of association standards.”
The letter also indicated that “the last 18 months in Egypt have seen increased repression of civil society, as well as deeply concerning attempts to criminalize free speech and peaceful assembly.”
“Many of the Egyptian associations with whom we regularly collaborate have no objection to a registration requirement; a great number are, in fact, already registered as civil companies and law firms. But given the draconian restrictions embodied in this law, they have long refused to register as NGOs due to the concern that doing so will undermine their ability to function independently and fulfill their mandates.” it added.
The letter addressed Obama saying, “You are likely aware that up until now, authorities unofficially permitted some groups to operate without registering. Today, there is every reason to believe many of those groups, as well as others, will face dissolution and potentially jail terms for their most prominent members.”
It also expressed concern that “we fear that the Egyptian government’s enforcement of the law’s severe provisions will be even worse than its actions in 2011, when the government investigated a host of NGOs who received foreign funding and ultimately convicted staff from international organizations – including Freedom House, the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute and the International Center for Journalists – for allegedly operating without authorization despite their repeated attempts to become registered.
The letter was signed by Washington Director of Human Rights Watch Sarah Margon, former Deputy National Security Advisor, Global Democracy Strategy Elliott Abrams, President International Center for Journalists Joyce Barnathan, Director of Middle East and North Africa programs of Freedom House Charles Dunne, Senior Associate with Middle East Program of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Michele Dunne, Executive Director of Foreign Policy Initiative Christopher J. Griffin, Director of Human Rights Promotion with Human Rights First Neil Hicks, Deputy Executive Director, Campaigns and Programs of Amnesty International USA Margaret Huang, Director of the Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies of George Mason University Peter Mandaville, Executive Director of Project on Middle East Democracy Stephen McInerney and Executive Director Committee to Protect Journalists Joel Simon.
The letter comes simultaneously with the appointment of former International Cooperation Minister Fayza Abul Naga, as Sisi’s advisor on national security affairs.
The then-minister Abul Naga accused US rights groups and NGOs working in Egypt without a license of destabilizing the country.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
