Providing a comprehensive assessment of Egypt’s human rights situation from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, the report highlights legislative developments, expanded social protection programmes, and the growing presence of human rights in public discourse and state policies, while noting that structural challenges continue to limit the impact of reforms on citizens’ daily lives.
NCHR emphasized that advancing human rights requires sustained political will, strict rule of law, and societal cooperation.
Prepared through a structured institutional process, the report draws on data collected across NCHR committees and field units, as well as consultations with civil society, national institutions, and international partners.
Key challenges
1. Civil and political rights: Some detainees were released, and public dialogue increased, but prolonged pretrial detention and deaths in custody persist. Legal safeguards, judicial oversight, and healthcare in detention remain limited, with a need for alternatives to detention and effective monitoring.
2. Freedom of expression and media: Detentions related to expression have decreased, but journalists still face risks due to the lack of a comprehensive access-to-information law and ongoing investigations. Existing judicial protections need clearer enforcement.
3. Economic, social, and cultural rights: Global economic pressures and inflation continue to affect living conditions. Social protection programmes and legislative measures are positive but require integrated policies to reach vulnerable populations and reduce regional disparities.
4. Health and education: Progress has been made in disease detection, health coverage, digital transformation, and infrastructure. Remaining gaps include service quality, staff shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and rural–urban inequities.
5. Legislation and implementation: Key laws, including the Criminal Procedures Law, Asylum Law, Medical Liability Law, electoral amendments, and Old Rent Law, are in place, but their effectiveness depends on proper enforcement and executive regulations.
6. Judiciary’s role: Courts uphold rights and the rule of law, but consistent oversight is needed to ensure legal reforms lead to tangible human rights improvements.
7. Protection of vulnerable groups: Women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, refugees, and migrants benefit from laws and programmes, yet consistent and equitable implementation remains a challenge.
8. Refugees and asylum seekers: The Law Regulating Asylum provides a legal framework, but effective implementation and monitoring are needed to ensure access to protection, healthcare, education, and work.
9. Environmental and digital rights: Integrating environmental and human rights policies, renewable energy projects, waste and water management, and data protection requires stronger safeguards, public participation, and awareness.
10. Institutional role and international engagement: The NCHR retains its “A” status under the Paris Principles, reflecting its independence, capacity-building, complaint handling, field visits, and partnerships. Strong institutional performance is essential for upholding national and international human rights standards.
Key recommendations
The NCHR report also provides detailed recommendations to strengthen civil and political rights, enhance freedom of expression, improve detention and asylum practices, and ensure effective implementation of legislation.
1. Death penalty review: Limit crimes punishable by death to the most serious offences and consider temporarily suspending executions until legal frameworks are revised.
2. Torture and ill-treatment laws: Amend criminal provisions on torture to align with the UN Convention against Torture, specifically revising Article 126 of the Penal Code to include attempted, complicity, or participation in torture.
3. Presidential pardon and pretrial detention: Expand the use of presidential clemency for detainees in cases related to political rights and freedom of expression. Reduce prolonged pretrial detention, particularly for journalists and political activists, and provide judicial solutions for re-arrests after release.
4. Inspection and detention reforms: Continue inspections of detention and police facilities, publish findings, and address violations. Upgrade outdated prisons and detention facilities to meet basic human rights standards.
5. Juvenile detention improvements: Expand juvenile facilities beyond the current centre in El-Marg, ensuring access to education, computer training, complaint mechanisms, and awareness programmes.
6. Asylum law implementation: Address issues in the Law Regulating Asylum for Foreigners, including powers of the Permanent Committee, retroactive application of the law, and ensuring minimum rights for asylum seekers until decisions on their cases are finalized. Consider legislative amendments or executive regulations if needed.
7. Criminal Procedures Law concerns: Take seriously human rights concerns regarding the new Criminal Procedures Law, particularly regarding defence rights and prosecutorial powers. Ensure openness to feedback and adopt necessary amendments to strengthen justice system safeguards.
8. Political rights and electoral reforms: Implement recommendations from the National Dialogue on legislation, institutions, and systems governing political participation. Expedite the law organizing local councils, conduct their elections, and amend the Political Rights Law to integrate modern technology in the electoral process.
9. Access to information and media laws: Issue a law regulating information circulation to support freedom of expression. Review and amend legislation affecting press freedom, including the Penal Code, Criminal Procedures Law, Anti-Terrorism Law, Cybercrime Law, and Media Regulation Law, ensuring genuine societal dialogue with the journalism community.
10. Digital platforms licensing: Address challenges faced by online platforms in obtaining legal licenses, stop the arbitrary blocking of platforms, and facilitate compliance for unlicensed platforms.
11. Electoral law and local governance: Reconsider laws regulating political participation and electoral districts, adopt an electoral system ensuring broader party representation and free competition, and promptly issue the new administration law to allow local council elections, a constitutional requirement delayed for 14 years.
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