Egypt summons EU ambassadors over "negative" statement
Ahram Online, Wednesday 17 Sep 2014
During a session of the UN Human Rights Council, the EU expressed "concern towards the human rights situation in Egypt."


Egypt has summoned all European Union (EU) Ambassadors to show its objection to recent statements the EU issued regarding human rights records in Egypt, according to a press release issued by the Egyptian foreign ministry late Tuesday.

Cairo "was surprised" by the EU statement which comes at a time of “growing terrorist operations in the region and Egypt.”

On Tuesday, during the 27th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the EU expressed "its concern towards the human rights situation in Egypt."

"The EU continues to be worried about the deteriorating human rights situation in Egypt, marked by indiscriminate detentions and disproportionate sentencing – including the death penalty. The EU is equally concerned with reports of torture in detention centres and sexual assaults on female detainees,” the EU said.

The EU has also called on the government "to fully respect human rights standards, including in the implementation of counter terrorism measures.”

"Egypt's foreign ministry said that the EU position "lacks civility" and "raises questions" over the organisation's stance regarding the ongoing "international endeavors" to fight terrorism.

Meanwhile, Egypt`s Foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, who is currently in Spain attending a ministerial meeting over the crisis in Libya, spoke to several European officials including his Spanish and Maltese counterparts to emphasise the inconsistency between the EU’s statement and recent developments in Egypt and regional and international cooperation in fighting against terrorism.

The EU also called for "democratic, transparent and accountable institutions" as well as for a thorough, independent and transparent investigation into the deaths of protesters and security forces since 30 June 2013.

The Egyptian foreign ministry’s statement highlighted Egypt’s complete rejection of the EU statement and that it considers it a "negative message.”

"The EU statement ignored Egypt’s last report on the human rights situation and disregarded the remarkable increase in martyrs from army and police personnel,” Egypt's foreign ministry said.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/110977.aspx