February 9th, 2010 by Maria

Al Masry Al Youm reports on a shake up in the Egyptian government’s National Council for Human Rights (NCHR). The council appointed Moqbel Shaker as its new vice president on Monday and replaced six other members: Samia el-Motayyam, Fahmi Nashed, Galal Aref, Gamal Shuman, Sameh Ashour, and Suleiman Abdel Monem.

Aside from Shaker, new members of the council include: MP Ebtisam Habib, Assistant Minister of Justice Eskandar Ghattas, former Attorney General Ragaa el-Arabi, Consultant to the Cabinet of Ministers Adel Abdel Baqi, President Mubarak’s lawyer Anwar Raslan, Gaber Rihan, President of the Lawyers Syndicate Hamdi Khalifa, and President of the Journalists Syndicate Makram Mohamed Ahmed.

Former Vice President Abul Magd was reportedly asked to remain in the council as a member, though Magd denies being asked to stay and said he would “continue fighting for human rights in Egypt and the Arab world.” Minister of State for Legal Affairs and Parliamentary Councils Mufid Shehab said the Egyptian government is paying attention to human rights issues and that it is taking steps to enhance them for Egyptians.

Shura Council Speaker Safwat el-Sherif says the NCHR is an independent organization that issues its recommendations on human rights issues to government ministries and institutions “according to established legal standards, international treaties on human rights, and the Egyptian Constitution.”

Posted in Egypt, Human Rights |