Egypt Launches Platform on Human Rights Conditions

Egyptian deputy of the human rights committee in parliament, Margaret Azer  (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egyptian deputy of the human rights committee in parliament, Margaret Azer (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Egypt Launches Platform on Human Rights Conditions

Egyptian deputy of the human rights committee in parliament, Margaret Azer  (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egyptian deputy of the human rights committee in parliament, Margaret Azer (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Egypt launched a trilingual platform that provides information on the human rights conditions in the country.

The portal includes a database of all local, regional and international information about human rights, announced the State Information Service (SIS), adding that it is meant to promote a correct understanding of human rights, taking into consideration the economic, social, cultural and political aspects.

SIS also indicated that it will use the portal to confront attempts to politicize human rights’ conditions in the country.

The platform is part of a broad media activity being carried out to achieve Egypt's goals in promoting and spreading the culture of human rights, according to SIS chairman Diaa Rashwan.

Egyptian deputy of the human rights committee in parliament, Margaret Azer told Asharq Al-Awsat that the new platform will use evidence to respond to “suspicious” organizations trying to politically exploit human rights issues in Egypt.

It will also respond to the questions and reports of international organizations on conditions in Egypt.

In March, Cairo responded to the US State Department's annual report on the human rights situation in the world in 2018, saying it was “not objective” and makes unsubstantiated claims about the state of human rights in the country.

Egypt has repeatedly asked Human Rights Watch (HRW) to be accurate about its human rights reports.



Yemen PM, EU Discuss Future Partnership

Yemeni Prime Minister Salem Saleh bin Braik meets with European officials on Wednesday. (Saba)
Yemeni Prime Minister Salem Saleh bin Braik meets with European officials on Wednesday. (Saba)
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Yemen PM, EU Discuss Future Partnership

Yemeni Prime Minister Salem Saleh bin Braik meets with European officials on Wednesday. (Saba)
Yemeni Prime Minister Salem Saleh bin Braik meets with European officials on Wednesday. (Saba)

The European Union has informed the Yemeni government that it will issue a statement about the situation in Yemen that will tackle the Houthi attacks on Red Sea navigation and the harm they have incurred in the country, region and world, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The EU last made such a statement in appreciation of the government three years ago. This time, it will be more explicit in condemning the Houthis, the sources added on condition of anonymity.

Yemeni Prime Minister Salem Saleh bin Braik held talks on Wednesday with Managing Director for Middle East and North Africa in the EU’s European External Action Service Helene Le Gal and EU Ambassador to Yemen Gabriel Vinals.

The sources continued: “The EU believes that the damage caused by the Houthis was no longer just a Yemeni problem, especially after their attacks on Red Sea shipping.”

This will determine EU policy and how to handle Yemen, they said.

Wednesday’s meeting covered the current and future partnership between Yemen and the EU and the diplomatic, humanitarian and economic support it is providing to the war-torn country.

It tackled support to the Yemeni coastguard in their efforts to combat smuggling and protect international navigation, as well as joint coordination in confronting regional and international challenges, reported the Yemen’s Saba news agency.

The meeting reviewed the government’s service and economic priorities and its comprehensive reform efforts.

The gatherers discussed Yemen’s humanitarian needs and efforts to ease the suffering of the people that has been compounded by Houthi attacks on oil facilities and Red Sea shipping.

They covered current and future cooperation and the EU’s support for Yemen and its preparations to hold a humanitarian conference in Brussels later this month.