Egypt NGOs 'robbed of independence'

[Jefferson23]

Human rights groups have decried Egypt's enforcement of 2002 law that gives the government control over NGOs.

Al Jazeera Last updated: 22 Sep 2014 11:27

Cairo, Egypt - Human rights organisations are feeling the squeeze in Egypt as they accuse President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government of using a 2002 law to "criminalise" their work.

At the start of his presidency on June 8, Sisi called on non-governmental organisations in Egypt to register under Law 84, subjecting their activities to government oversight. The law was first passed under former President Hosni Mubarak, but remained unenforced for over 10 years due to widespread opposition.

On August 31, 45 national and international NGOs issued a joint statement refusing to register by the September 2 deadline. The government has said that 89 foreign NGOs are currently authorised to work in the country, while 40,000 Egyptian organisations also operate.

"If we register under this law, we agree [to] losing all our rights," said Nihal Saad Zaghloul, founder of Basma, an Egyptian civil society group that works on social issues like women's empowerment and sexual assault.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/09/egypt-ngo-law-crackdown-2014913121624569527.html

[Scootaloo]

1. And remember - DU cheered this guy's coup.