Letter Demanding Free Speech And Human Rights Reforms Ahead Of The 2022 UN COP27 Climate Conference In Egypt

Human Rights, Environmental Groups & Journalists Sign Letter Demanding Free Speech and Human Rights Reforms Ahead of the 2022 UN COP27 Climate Conference in Egypt

Dear Conference of the Parties (COP) Bureau (Mr. Alok Sharma, Mr. Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, Mr. Muhammad Irfan, Ms. Anne Rasmussen, Ms. Gabriela Fischerova, Mr. Carlos Fuller, Mr. Javier Gutierrez Ramirez, Mr. Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, Ms. Marianne Karlsen, and Ms. Iryna Stavchuk),  

We are writing with grave concerns about the decision to hold the 2022 Conference of the Parties Summit (COP27) in Egypt. 

The choice to have Egypt host the gathering puts participating Egyptian and international climate activists at risk and shields Egyptian President Abdel Al-Sisi from accountability for his gross human rights abuses. It sends a dangerous signal to the world that authoritarianism and repression of environmental and human rights defenders are sanctioned by the international community. 

As Human Rights Watch reports, “President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government has ruthlessly suppressed civil society, placing severe restrictions on the work of nongovernmental organizations, arbitrarily jailing human rights activists, and blocking hundreds of websites; acts incompatible with the principles of transparency, openness and inclusiveness required to host United Nations Climate Change Conferences. Egypt’s relentless repression of Egyptian civil society makes it highly unlikely that climate activists will be able to operate safely during the conference. Ahmed Amasha, an environmental activist and head of the Arab Association for Environment and Sustainable Development, has been detained since July 2020, Front Line Defenders has reported.” (For a more detailed background on Egypt’s human rights abuses, see here.)  

The climate change movement’s principles of grassroots civic engagement are in stark contrast to Egypt’s record of attacks on civil society (including Egyptian environmentalists, human rights activists, NGOs, and journalists) and denial of visas to international activists. 

Therefore, for the sake of imprisoned and persecuted Egyptian human rights defenders, for concern about the well-being of COP attendees, and in order to send a message to President Sisi that his human rights abuses are unacceptable, we, the undersigned, call on you to require the following of the Egypt government: Guarantee that international activists wishing to attend the COP27 will be granted visas and be free to exercise their rights to free speech and free assembly; Repeal Egypt’s 2013 Protest Law that gives the government the authority to ban entirely peaceful protests under the guise of national security; Respect the rights of human rights defenders, climate activists and minorities, including the Coptic Christian community; Free unjustly detained climate defenders and political prisoners, including Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

Sincerely,

Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)

Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedom 
Egyptians Abroad for Democracy
CODEPINK 
Global Action Initiatives Alliance (GAIA)
GAIA Talks: The Earth Speaks
Gandhi Global Center for Peace 
BeMagazine.org
International Action Center
Americans for Democratic Action of Southern California
Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains

Egyptian Americans for Justice
Indiana Center for Middle East Peace 
Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) 
International Association of People’s Lawyers 
Muslim Peace Fellowship 
Progressive Democrats of America 
Rainforest Action Network 
Rethinking Foreign Policy 
Roots Action

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