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Date: November 25, 2024 Mon
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egypt
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145 total results foundAuthor: Chemonics International Inc. Title: Assessment on the Status of Trafficking in Persons in Egypt: Changing Perceptions and Proposing Appropriate Interventions Summary: Egypt is a transit country for women being trafficked from eastern European countries to Israel for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It is also a country of origin for women who are trafficked to Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab States, Jordan, Kuwait, and Yemen for the purpose of transactional marriage, in particular. Additionally, there are reports of Egyptians trafficked to work abroad. This report analyzes the various forms of trafficking based on a fact-finding mission to Egypt. The report describes trends in transnational trafficking while bringing to light new research on domestic trafficking. The report also emphasizes individual trafficking, as many forms of exploitation of women and children in Egypt are perpetrated by spouses, parents, or other family members. The report calls for a comprehensive response to the problem which would include the government, nongovernmental organizations, and other members of civil society. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2007. 72p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2007 Country: Egypt Keywords: Forced Marriage Shelf Number: 118743 |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Title: Victimization Survey in Eqypt: Executive Summary Summary: This report presents the findings of a victimization survey carried out in Eqypt. Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2009. 8p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Egypt Keywords: Crime Statistics (Eqypt) Shelf Number: 119235 |
Author: Ahmed, Yasmine M. Title: An Exploratory Study on Child Domestic Workers in Egypt Summary: In Egypt, an estimated 2 to 2.5 million children between the ages of 6-15 are working as street vendors, agricultural labourers, factory workers, laundry workers and helpers for mechanics, with the vast majority (83%) working in rural areas. This exploratory study The provides first-hand baseline data on employers of child domestic workers, former and current child domestic workers and their families. It reveals the opinions of children, employers, recruiters and families who are impacted by child domestic labour. Details: Geneva: Terre des hommes, Centre of Migration; Cairo: Center for Migration and Refugee Studies, 2010. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Egypt Keywords: Child Labor Shelf Number: 115398 |
Author: Kharboush, Ibrahim F. Title: Spousal Violence in Egypt Summary: One-third of Egyptian women have been physically abused by their husbands, according to the 2005 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey; and 7 percent said they are beaten “often.” These women mostly suffered silently and did not seek help. Violence against women is a costly and pervasive public health problem and a violation of human rights. It is often referred to as “gender-based violence” because it stems from women’s subordinate status in the family and society. The abuse can take many forms. Violence against women, whether perpetrated by husbands or others, and whether it happens inside or outside the home, undermines women’s health and well-being. It can also have far-reaching and long-term consequences for the women’s children and for society. Today, patriarchal norms continue to relegate many Egyptian women to a subordinate position relative to men, providing fertile ground for men’s abusive and damaging behaviors at home and in public. Harassment of women in public has escalated to the point where Egypt’s national economy may be affected: A recent World Bank study showed that 15 percent of men and 12 percent of women in Cairo who oppose the idea of women working outside the home cite potential sexual harassment as the reason. This policy brief presents an analysis of the 2005 and 2008 Egypt Demographic and Health Surveys and the latest research on spousal violence conducted in the Alexandria Governorate by the Suzanne Mubarak Regional Centre for Women’s Health and Development. These studies reveal that violence against women is widespread and alarming, and highlight the urgent need for government and civil society to address the issue and end this scourge that hinders progress toward Egypt’s development goals. Details: Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.prb.org/pdf10/spousalviolence-egypt.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Egypt Keywords: Battered Women Shelf Number: 119935 |
Author: Morayef, Heba Title: Work on Him Until He Confesses: Impunity for Torture in Egypt Summary: Torture is widespread in Egypt—used by law enforcement officers for Criminal Investigations and State Security Investigations (SSI) in a deliberate and systematic manner to glean confessions and information or to punish both criminal and political detainees. Since most torture cases are not prosecuted, police abuse is common and law enforcement officers are free to act with impunity. For example, SSI officers are not permitted to detain people but frequently carry out enforced disappearances and interrogate and abuse suspects. The government maintains that incidents of torture are isolated and that it investigates each one. While prosecutors open investigation files on each formal complaint, a number of factors prevent most cases progressing to court, including police intimidation of victims and witnesses who pursue complaints, the prosecution’s limited resources and lack of independence, an inadequate legal framework, and the fact that police from the same unit as the alleged perpetrator are responsible for gathering evidence and summoning witnesses. This report documents the obstacles that exist to prosecuting law enforcement officers for torture and finds the government is failing to provide torture victims effective remedy, or to deter such abuses in the future by holding perpetrators accountable. “Work on Him until He Confesses” urges the Egyptian government to investigate all credible allegations of torture and ill-treatment, even in the absence of a formal complaint. Prosecutors should conduct these inquiries promptly, impartially, and thoroughly, ensuring they investigate all those allegedly responsible, including superiors, and without involving alleged abusers in gathering evidence. Details: New York: Human Rights Watch, 2011. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2011 at: http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2011/01/30/work-him-until-he-confesses-0 Year: 2011 Country: Egypt Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 120670 |
Author: Amnesty International Title: Time for Justice: Egypt's Corrosive System of Detention Summary: Under a state of emergency enforced continuously for 30 years, Egyptian authorities can arrest anyone they choose on the mere suspicion that they might be a threat to public order and security. They can then detain them by administrative order without charge or trial or any effective means of remedy, in practice for as long as they like. Tens of thousands of people have suffered this injustice. Some have been held for years despite repeated court orders for their release. Many have been tortured or ill-treated. Emergency legislation has entrenched other patterns of serious human rights abuses, including police brutality, enforced disappearance, unfair trial and systematic repression of free speech and political opposition. This report, published in the wake of the uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak, documents these patterns of abuse and the individual cases of many victims. Once again, Amnesty international is calling on the authorities to lift the state of emergency, repeal emergency legislation and end the corrosive system of administrative detention. It is also urging the interim authorities to use this extraordinary moment in Egypt’s history to create a state that is based on respect for human rights and a justice system that can finally deliver justice. Details: London: Amnesty International, 2011. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 5, 2011 at: http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/mde120292011en_15.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Egypt Keywords: Administrative Detention (Egypt) Shelf Number: 121969 |
Author: Somach, Susan D. Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Literature Review of Violence Against Women Summary: As the Egyptian National Council for Women (NCW) and USAID-funded Combating Violence Against Women project designed the elements of the multi-dimensional study of violence against women in Egypt, the project began surveying available research and information from international, regional, and Egyptian sources. Violence Against Women and Gender Specialist Susan Somach and Combating Violence project Research Manager Gihan AbuZeid conducted the initial review of research, which was supplemented by a bibliography prepared by Social, Planning, Analysis, and Administration Consultants. The research team also conducted individual and group meetings with academics and researchers at project start-up to identify current research and gaps that should be filled by the NCW— Combating Violence Study of Violence Against Women. The purpose of the literature review was to build on the base of existing knowledge and to avoid duplication of efforts. In addition to the literature summarized here, the Egyptian experts involved in the study also surveyed available research in their own areas of expertise, again to build on existing knowledge and to avoid overlapping efforts. The review of research continued throughout the study process, culminating in this literature review. The review concludes by identifying gaps in research, many of which are addressed by the elements of the larger violence against women study. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2009. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ891.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt Keywords: Abused Wives Shelf Number: 125519 |
Author: Said, Samah Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Overview of Services on Violence Against Women Summary: This report provides an overview and examination of services currently available to women victims of violence. The focus of the study is a core set of direct protection services for addressing immediate needs for women victims of violence, including health services, shelters, counseling services, help lines, and legal services. In addition, the report describes selected advocacy initiatives by NGOs in recent years which seek to prevent violence against women through legal changes, research, and awareness. To examine the services and initiatives, the report draws on a wide range of data sources. Information on services provided by the government was mostly collected through interviews with key government officials and review of laws, regulations and other key government documents. Site visits were made to eight women’s shelters, eleven health facilities, and two government-sponsored family counseling centers. Information on non-governmental services was obtained through interviews and group discussions with eighty-five NGOs active in women’s issues. The examination finds both government and NGO engagement in providing the core services for protecting victims of violence against women. However, availability of these services is quite limited overall considering the immense challenge of addressing this issue. Specific findings include: Shelters. Eight shelters are currently operating in Egypt, comprising 214 total beds. Despite the limited availability of beds, shelter managers note that many shelters are often empty for extended periods of time. Medical services. Interviewed medical professionals note that they commonly treat cases of domestic violence, but also noted that although women victims receive medical treatment, there are no specific services or protocols at hospitals and health units for victims of violence against women. Helplines. Among 85 NGOs interviewed, only 4 provide helplines, and only one of these is available 24 hours (hotline). In addition, the National Council of Women’s Ombudsmen’s office operates the only government helpline for women. Listening and counseling services. Among the 85 NGOs interviewed, eight provide in-person listening or counseling service available for women victims of violence. In addition, the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS) funds and local NGOs operate 183 Family Counseling Office. Legal services. Twenty-one of the 85 NGOs interviewed provide some legal services which may be accessible to women victims of violence, although most of these organizations focus on other legal issues affecting women In addition, the NCW’s Ombudsmen’s office provides legal assistance to women on a variety of women’s issues, including violence. Advocacy and prevention strategies. Although there have been some national campaigns of note in recent years addressing violence against women, most of the 85 NGOs interviewed acknowledge that campaigns regarding on violence against women have been sporadic. Overview of Services on Violence Against Women 2 Based on the finding a number of recommendations are provided in the conclusion of the report to address the service needs of women victims of violence, focusing primarily on shelters, medical services, and the role of NGOs as service providers. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2009. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2012 at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ889.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 125528 |
Author: Youssef, Enas Abu Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Media Coverage of Violence Against Women Summary: This study attempts to identify the nature of the coverage of violence against women in the Egyptian mass media with the aim of introducing an effective media mechanism that will help expand interest in this issue beyond the limited academic community and dedicated authorities, and expanded to the general public. This study is based on a secondary analysis of six reports published by the NCW’s Media Watch Unit from April 2005 to March 2006 and from February 2007 to February 2008. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the social cultural analysis model of monitoring the direct relationship between the media discourse and the prevalent culture and the social and political discourses in society. The findings of the analytical study indicate that the media did not give sufficient attention to publishing information related to violence against women. Issues related to violence against women comprised only 17.4 percent of its total coverage of women’s issues, based on the study sample. The representation of community violence was covered more often (66.1 percent of cases of media coverage of violence against women), compared to domestic violence (33.9 percent). Both print media and television were similar in their coverage of community violence (70 percent and 60.2 percent coverage of violence against women, respectively), and in their coverage of domestic violence (30 percent and 39.8 percent, respectively). Radio programs had an equal interest in domestic and community violence (50.1 percent and 49.9 percent coverage of violence against women, respectively). The findings confirm that media discourse tends to focus negatively on sexual harassment of women at work and in the street. However, on the issue of political involvement of women, media discourse was divided between supporting and opposing women in politics. Of particular note is the media’s general agreement with the idea that a woman does not have the right to be nominated for the presidency. The review of the target audiences indicates that media messages do not differentiate by audience categories — rural/urban, age categories, and economic levels. Rather, media discourse is oriented primarily elite audiences. In dramatic representation of violence against women on radio and television, the analysis shows that violence against women is one of the main sources for conflict in plots for broadcast dramas. Of the 48 percent of radio dramas that presented issues of violence against women, 86.8 percent depicted domestic violence and 13.2 percent depicted community violence. Of the 45 percent of television dramas presenting violence against women, 69.5 percent depicted domestic violence and 30.5 percent depicted community violence. The qualitative analysis of the dramatic productions shows that, when these programs portray violence, the family’s disintegration or malfunctioning is mostly the woman’s fault and only she is to be blamed. In addition, in these productions, justifiable reasons are given for violence against women. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2009. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2012 at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ888.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 125530 |
Author: United States Agency for Internetional Development Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Summary of Findings Summary: Violence against women has increasingly been recognized as an issue of national concern by the Government of Egypt and the National Council for Women (NCW). Responding to the government’s commitment to ending violence, the NCW and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) established the Combating Violence Against Women project. As a major component of the project, the NCW commissioned this study to provide the background information needed for the development of a national strategy to combat violence against women in Egypt and to plan future activities. Although much of the available research on violence against women focuses on the public health impacts, this Violence Against Women Survey takes a human rights approach that examines the issue from a holistic, multisectoral perspective. The study was conducted by Egyptian academics, researchers, and activists nominated by the NCW, including university research institutions, private-sector research firms, leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and government experts. The study process included gathering information from a variety of sources and sectors, analyzing new and existing research by Egyptian experts, and developing preliminary recommendations. Building on research conducted previously by the NCW, other Egyptian government and nongovernmental entities, and experts, the study authors use a wide range of methodologies to focus on various aspects of the issue. Specifically, this study considers the prevalence of different types of violence against women, attitudes among married and unmarried women and men, the legal policy and regulatory framework related to violence against women issues, the role of media, services currently available to female victims of violence, and recommendations for reducing levels of violence. Details: Washignton, DC: USAID, 2009. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2012 at: http://egypt.unfpa.org/pdfs/GENDER/GBV/internal_link_EGYPT_VIOLENCE_AGAINST_WOMEN_STUDY_english.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt Keywords: Abused Wives Shelf Number: 125531 |
Author: Karama Title: Study on the Cost of Violence against Women in Egypt Summary: The Economic Cost of Violence survey - the result of a collaboration between Karama and its economic realm in Egypt, which is led by the Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement (EACPE) - was released, sharing that the total national cost of women's exposure to violence exceeds 785 million Egyptian Pounds (LE) a year, over three billion LE over the last three years. Launched in 2010, the study aims to quantify the monetary cost of women's exposure to violence as the basis of a campaign to prevent violence against women by demonstrating that the impact of violence goes beyond women and has implications for the nation as a whole. According to the study, based on 500 families/ 1503 households distributed over four governorates in Egypt, the direct cost of violence is approximately 43 LE per adult woman. The largest contribution to this cost is street harassment, followed by the cost of domestic violence injuries. The cost of violence inflicted by the state accounts for nearly 6 LE. The indirect cost of violence, which takes into account effects such as decreased productivity and participation due to psychological impacts of violence, is nearly 800 pounds a month on average per adult woman. In considering the average monthly income for an Egyptian family, which is 1,688 LE, the total cost of violence assuming only one adult woman member of the household is over 50 percent of family income each month. To complete this study, men, women, and children from Menya, Sohag, Cairo, and Alexandria completed questionnaires and interviews on the direct and indirect costs of violence based on their own experiences with VAW. Their responses formed a baseline in calculating a general cost estimate for 2009, the baseline year. Given current circumstances, it is likely that this cost will increase for 2012 unless major behavioral and cultural norms are address and changed. The study provides significant evidence reminding the Egyptian government and its people that national prosperity is synonymous with women's full participation and advancement. The direct cost of violence includes financial costs of implementing studies on the cost of violence and the cost of disruption in women's work inside or outside of the house, while indirect costs include decrease in women's capabilities and in their participation in the National Domestic Product and National Income. In an estimate for 2009, the direct cost of violence on the national level was equivalent to 642.3 million pounds. The indirect cost mounted to 143.667 million pounds. Added to these costs is the cost that accumulates because of increasing number of adult females and consequently the share of new families in violence. The total amount was 3,322,049 billion pounds through 2011. Details: Cairo: Karama, 2012. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2012 at http://www.el-karama.org/sites/default/files/TranslationofEconStudyEACPE.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Egypt Keywords: Costs of Crime (Egypt) Shelf Number: 126089 |
Author: Reisen, Mirjam van Title: Human Trafficking in the Sinai: Refugees between Life and Death Summary: This report describes the horrific situation of trafficking of refugees in the Sinai desert, a crisis that started in 2009. The refugees include men, women, children and accompanying infants fleeing from already desperate circumstances in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. An estimated 95% of the refugees held hostage in the Sinai (also referred to as hostages) are Eritreans. Smuggled across borders by middlemen, or kidnapped from refugee camps in Ethiopia and the Sudan as well as their surrounding areas, and then captured or sold, the refugees are held hostage close to the Israeli border in inhumane conditions and tortured for ransoms up to USD 50,000. A large number of the refugees have died, either while being held hostage or after their release – often even after their ransom has been paid. A large number of refugees simply ‘disappear’, killed while being held or shot by the Egyptian military guarding the border with Israel after release. The aim of this report is to give the Sinai refugees a voice. Through the interviews we can hear their stories, and connect with them. It is hoped that this document will raise awareness among the broader public of the desperate plight of these people as a step towards stopping this crime. A second aim of the report is to contextualise these practices within the international legal framework, and, in this way, highlight the obligations of states and international organisations, including the EU, to take action against these practices. This report examines the processes involved in the trafficking of the refugees (i.e., how the refugees are recruited, how they are transported to the Sinai including their routes, and the conditions under which they are being held) and the international legal framework applicable to these practices (i.e., whether or not these practices can be considered ‘trafficking in persons’, ‘torture’ or other). Details: Tilburg, Brussels: Tilburg University/EEPA, 2012. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2012 at: http://www.eepa.be/wcm/dmdocuments/publications/report_Human_Trafficking_in_the_Sinai_20120928.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Egypt Keywords: Debt Bondage Shelf Number: 126756 |
Author: Ashour, Omar Title: From Bad Cop to Good Cop: The Challenge of Security Sector Reform in Egypt Summary: After decades of abuse under the old regime, how can the civilian government of President Mohamed Morsi turn Egypt’s security apparatus into one befitting a new democracy? What are the necessary steps in overcoming institutional barriers to reform and creating an Egyptian police force in the service of its citizens? In a new "Project on Arab Transitions" paper from the Brookings Doha Center and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), From Good Cop to Bad Cop: The Challenge of Security Sector Reform in Egypt, nonresident fellow Omar Ashour discusses the political dynamics of transforming Egypt’s security establishment. Based on months of interviews with current and former officers and generals in the police, army, and intelligence services, Ashour lays out the workings of the Mubarak regime’s repressive security apparatus and assesses current reform initiatives, drawing on lessons from other transitions in the Arab world and beyond. He offers a set of policy proposals for establishing an accountable, civilian-led security sector, ranging from a presidential commission on reform to new oversight mechanisms. Ashour cites the brutality and abuse of Egypt’s police as a key catalyst of the January 25 Revolution; the success of that revolution, he says, will hinge on effective security sector reform. Details: Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, 2012. 23p. Source: Brookings Doha Center Paper Series No. 3: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2012 at http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Papers/2012/11/19%20security%20sector%20reform%20ashour/Omar%20Ashour%20English.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Egypt Keywords: Administration of Justice (Egypt) Shelf Number: 127223 |
Author: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women ) Title: Study on Ways and Methods to Eliminate Sexual Harassment in Egypt Summary: This study aims to achieve one main objective, and that is to identify ways and methods for reducing sexual harassment in Egypt. However this does not exclude other secondary objectives of the research which are considered complementary and will help in general to solve the problem and to identify the harassers and the victims, and particularly the impact harassment has on each of them. There were, therefore, other secondary objectives, namely: 1. Verifying the extent of the respondents’ knowledge, both male and female, of the meaning of harassment and the source of information. 2. Identifying the characteristics of the harasser, such as age/ level of education/ status/ economic situation of the family etc…. 3. Identifying the characteristics of the harassed (victim) such as age/ level of education/ status/ economic situation of the family etc…. 4. Specifying the different forms of sexual harassment and their frequency. 5. Specifying the most significant times and places where harassment occurs. 6. Finding out the views of the respondents on some factors that help towards the occurrence of harassment, such as way of dressing and walking etc.. 7. Identifying the psychological, economic and social impact of sexual harassment, whether on the victim or on the harasser. 8. Learning how to deal with the victim, both on the part of passers-by and security personnel whether on the street or in police stations. Thus, this study has eight secondary objectives in addition to the main one, which is to identify ways and methods to eliminate sexual harassment in Egypt. Details: New York: UN Women, 2013. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2013 at: http://www.dgvn.de/fileadmin/user_upload/DOKUMENTE/English_Documents/Sexual-Harassment-Study-Egypt-Final-EN.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Egypt Keywords: Sex Crimes (Egypt) Shelf Number: 129601 |
Author: Tadros, Mariz Title: Reclaiming the Streets for Women's Dignity: Effective Initiatives in the Struggle against Gender-Based Violence in between Egypt's Two Revolutions Summary: This paper is about the struggle to combat gender-based violence in public space in Egypt through the sustained collective action of vigilante groups who organically formed to respond to the increasing encroachment on women in public space from 2011 onwards. The study examines the emergence of a distinct form of collective action (informal youth-led activism aimed at addressing sexual violence in public space) at a very distinct historical juncture in the country's history: the phase after the ousting of President Mubarak in February 2011 through what became known as the 25th of January Revolution and up to the ousting of President Morsi in what became controversially known as the 30th of June Revolution of 2013. Details: Brighton, UK: University of Sussex, Institute of Development Studies, 2014. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Report No. 48: Accessed August 11, 2014 at: http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/3384/ER48.pdf;jsessionid=9284806762FADD02CC64702506B472CD?sequence=1 Year: 2014 Country: Egypt Keywords: Gender-Based Violence Shelf Number: 132986 |
Author: Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions (COFS) Title: Sudanese Victims of Organ Trafficking in Egypt Summary: COFS-Egypt has accumulated compelling evidence that organ traffickers have exploited and are continuing to exploit Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt. These abuses include removing kidneys either by inducing consent, coercion, or outright theft. In some cases, sex trafficking was associated with incidents of organ removal. The victims include men, women, and children. Many of the victims came to Egypt seeking refuge from the genocide and armed conflict in their homeland. Based on its ongoing fieldwork, COFS-Egypt identified 57 Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt who said they were victims of organ trafficking. Each case involved the removal of a kidney. COFS-Egypt has conducted in-depth interviews with 12 of these individuals who described their experiences in compelling detail. COFS-Egypt arranged ultrasounds and physical exams for five of the victims as part of its follow-up care outreach services. These medical exams confirmed that kidneys had been removed in all five cases. Arrangements to interview and provide this care for the other victims are ongoing. Four victims also showed COFS' field researchers documents from the hospitals where their nephrectomies and the transplants occurred; the documents included their respective identifiers. Of the 57 victims identified, 39 (68%) are from Darfur, 26 (46%) are female and 5(9%) are children. The twelve victims COFS interviewed ranged in age from 11-36 years with an average of 23.5 years; four (33%) of the victims were 18 years old or younger; and five (42%) were female. Three of the interviewed victims said people smugglers/traffickers helped them to enter Egypt and worked directly with the organ traffickers who arranged their kidney removal. Statements by some of the victims interviewed indicated that some women and girls are simultaneously being trafficked for sex and organs (9 possible cases in the sample of 57), and that the actual number of females in general may far exceed that of males. Thus, women and children are of special concern. Three of the victims interviewed held official "refugee" status from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). One victim's application for refugee status was under review; another had filed an application; and seven others were illegal and had not yet applied to UNHCR at the time that they said organ traffickers victimized them. One victim told COFS' researchers that they were imprisoned in an effort to prevent them from reporting their claims of organ theft; this victim escaped during the January 25, 2011 revolution. Four of the victims said they had met the patients who had received their kidneys. Seven of the victims said they knew the nationality of the recipient. These victims reported that three recipients were from Sudan, one was from Jordan, one was from Libya, and two were from countries of the Persian Gulf. Interviewed victims also reported theft of money by the broker. All of the victims interviewed said they had experienced a deterioration of their health in addition to negative social, economic and psychological consequences as a result of the experience. COFS estimates that there are at least hundreds of Sudanese victims of organ trafficking in Egypt as well as numerous others from Jordan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Iraq and Syria. The total number of victims of organ trafficking in Egypt is estimated to be in the thousands. The findings presented in this report include only living victim-survivors of the organ trade that COFS was able to identify. This report does not speak to claims of people death as a result of a commercial organ removal. This has special significance considering recent reports about the kidnapping and abuse of sub-Saharan African migrants smuggled into the Sinai Peninsula en route to Israel. The reports include claims of torture and removal of organs that have resulted in death. Details: Cairo, DC: COFS, 2011. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 15, 2015 at: http://www.cofs.org/english_report_summary_dec_11_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Egypt Keywords: Human Smuggling Shelf Number: 134407 |
Author: Amnesty International Title: Generation Jail: Egypt's Youth Go From Protest to Prison Summary: A continuing onslaught against young activists by the Egyptian authorities is a blatant attempt to crush the spirit of the country's bravest and brightest young minds, and nip in the bud any future threat to their rule, said Amnesty International in a new briefing published today. Generation Jail: Egypt's Youth Go From Protest to Prison focuses on the cases of 14 young people who are among thousands who have been arbitrarily arrested, detained and jailed in Egypt over the past two years in connection with protests. The briefing shows that the country has reverted fully to being a police state. Details: London: AI, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: https://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/2015-06_-_generation_jail_with_pictures.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Egypt Keywords: Human Rights Shelf Number: 136017 |
Author: Marroushi, Nadine Title: Violence against Women in Egypt: Prospects for improving police response Summary: During celebrations for Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's victory in the presidential race in June 2014, at least nine women were violently sexually assaulted by mobs of men in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Shortly after, Sisi made a statement in which he instructed the minister of interior to "vigorously enforce the law and take all necessary measures to combat sexual harassment". Within days of the president's statement, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced plans to expand nationally the Violence Against Women (VAW) Unit that had been established in the Ministry in mid-2013. This paper discusses the context and the political events that led to the establishment of the VAW unit, the unit's work since 2013 and the key challenges it faces, and the deeper institutional changes that are needed. The paper concludes with recommendations to the MOI for ways to improve Egypt's policing response to violence against women. Key recommendations include committing to ongoing high-level government support to the VAW unit; ensuring all police officers are trained to deal appropriately with VAW cases; increasing the representation of women in the police force; and adopting a wider set of reforms to ensure accountability and democratic governance in the security sector. Details: London: Saferworld, 2015. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/resources/view-resource/904-violence-against-women-in-egypt-prospects-for-improving-police-response Year: 2015 Country: Egypt Keywords: Police Response Shelf Number: 136276 |
Author: Ayman Kaddah, Doaa Title: "The Egyptian people can only be governed by the Whip (Korbaak)": Narratives that justify and legitimize police violence in Egypt Summary: Police violence in Egypt has long been criticized for its role in human rights violations. However, no prior research has examined how citizens justify and legitimize police violence in Egypt. Therefore, the overall objective of this research project is to reconstruct my interlocutors' justifications for police violence. My main questions were: Do they condemn or justify police violence? Against who should, in their opinion, be police violence deployed, and in which context is it necessary? The main research instrument was unstructured interviews with interlocutors residing in Cairo. A maximum and opportunistic sampling strategy was used to bring heterogeneity to the data. The results highlight a dominant theme that runs through the majority of my interlocutors' narratives, where there is a consensus that the Egyptian people can only be governed by the whip (korbaak). This dominant theme will be unpacked within the specificities of the interlocutors' narratives as well as within its relationship to the establishment of laws. In addition, I will draw on similar concepts in relevant empirical and theoretical publications in order to explain the rationale behind the dominant theme. Details: Bielefeld, Germany: Universitat Bielefeld, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Violence Research and Development Project - Papers - No. 8: Accessed June 11, 2016 at: http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/icvr/docs/ayman.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Egypt Keywords: Police Brutality Shelf Number: 139378 |
Author: Martin, Esmond Title: No Oasis: The Egyptian Ivory Trade in 2005 Summary: A comprehensive survey of the ivory trade in Egypt, focused upon the cities of Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, was undertaken in March and April 2005. The principal findings of that effort can be summarized as follows: - Raw elephant ivory tusks are still being imported illegally into Egypt, albeit in very limited quantities. Such shipments reportedly originate in the Democratic Republic of Congo and southern Sudan and are moved overland from Sudan into Egypt. Other reports suggested that a few tusks also may come from India, but such information could not be substantiated. Compared with the late 1990s, however, the quantity imported has declined markedly. - The price paid by craftsmen and owners of the ivory workshops in Cairo for a 2-5 kg raw ivory tusk averaged about USD190/kg, while larger tusks weighing 10-19 kg cost around USD345/kg. When adjusted for inflation in 1998 USD terms, these prices are 200-250% of those documented for comparable tusks noted in surveys in 1998 and 1999. This price increase may be credibly attributed to three factors: increased law enforcement, a reduction in supply in Egypt and the increasing cost of elephant ivory at its source in neighbouring African countries. - Somewhere between 25 and 50 ivory craftsmen, some located in and around Khan al-Khalili, the main market in Cairo, are estimated still to be carving ivory today, but their numbers have fallen to somewhere between one-quarter and one-half of the 100 carvers identified in 1998 and most only carve ivory on a parttime basis. This continues the significant decline in the number of ivory carvers in Egypt, documented with comparable data for the years 1989 and 1998 (Martin and Stiles, 2000). - A total of 130 retail outlets were found selling ivory products in the five cities and towns surveyed. Cairo, Luxor and Aswan collectively had 142 shops in 1998 but, by 2005, the number of retail outlets selling ivory had apparently fallen to 119 in these three cities, indicating an overall reduction of about 15-20%. - The number of ivory items seen for sale at the retail level numbered 10 709 in 2005, less than half the number observed in 1998 (21 460). While the scale of the trade has apparently fallen in all cities surveyed, the greatest decline in the number of ivory products on the retail market was noted in Aswan and Luxor, where only 373 and 1308, respectively, were found in 2005 compared to 3388 and 6445 ivory products observed in 1998. - Cairo, with 83% of the ivory items seen for sale, continues to be the major outlet for ivory products in Egypt. Luxor accounted for 12% of the ivory products observed and Aswan had only three per cent. In sharp contrast, the huge tourist resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh displayed only negligible amounts of ivory. - The most common items found for sale were figurines of Egyptian gods and humans - 34%; animal figurines, such as scarabs, camels and elephants - 30%; pendants - 9%; necklaces - 6%; and bangles - 4%. It is worth noting that there were almost no ivory name seals or chopsticks, key ivory products for the Asian market, found during the survey. - The main buyers of ivory products were reportedly tourists from Italy and Spain, followed by those from France and unspecified Latin American countries. This largely mirrored the findings of the 1998 survey. Local Egyptians apparently consume virtually no ivory themselves. - Retail prices for worked ivory items sold in Egypt in 2005, adjusted for inflation in US dollars (USD) terms, appear to be anywhere from twice to over four times those of late 1998. In 2005, a typical 10-cm human figurine cost about USD185, a medium-sized bead necklace was USD51, a 2.5-cm bangle was USD35, a 5- cm pendant was USD14 and a small ring was USD7. - There were very few antique ivory pieces observed for sale (less than one per cent of the total number of ivory products surveyed). Equally, only a very small number of ivory items that had been manufactured in other countries were found for sale on the Egyptian market. Thus, virtually all of Egypt's ivory trade comprises products that were locally produced in recent times. - The Egyptian Government has made significant efforts, particularly from 1999 through to 2003, to seize elephant tusks and illegal worked ivory items in several parts of the country. Altogether, over 3.5 t of ivory has been seized during this period. Improved law enforcement has been partly responsible for the decline of the Egyptian ivory industry and various shopkeepers indicated awareness concerning the illegality of the trade or had experienced government pressure to curtail sales directly. - Although ivory trade in the country is under pressure and has declined considerably since 1999, the scale of the current trade at retail level is still significant and of conservation concern. In this regard, Egypt has not conformed with the CITES requirements for controls on the internal trade in ivory contained in Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP12). - To reduce the availability of elephant ivory products in key markets throughout the country and to ensure compliance with all CITES requirements, it is recommended that Egypt: - review and improve policy, legislation and regulatory measures so that they fulfil the requirements of CITES Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. 12); - address implementation and enforcement deficiencies; - raise awareness and publicity on wildlife trade controls; and - be reviewed as part of the CITES Standing Committee process for assessing domestic ivory markets worldwide, with a view to including Egypt as a priority country for attention within the context of the Action plan for the control of trade in African elephant ivory. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2005. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2016 at: http://www.traffic.org/mammals Year: 2005 Country: Egypt Keywords: Elephants Shelf Number: 147904 |
Author: Gold, Zack Title: Salafi Jihadist Violence in Egypt's North Sinai: From Local Insurgency to Islamic State Province Summary: Militancy in Egypt's North Sinai governorate-a serious problem since that country's January 2011 uprising - was compounded in November 2014 when Ansar Bayt al Maqdis ("Supporters of Jerusalem", ABM), the main salafi jihadist organisation in Sinai, swore allegiance to the group that calls itself the Islamic State (IS). This Research Paper closely inspects ABM/Wilayat Sinai and ways in which the group changed over three phases of its existence: from the 2011 uprising to Morsi's 2013 ouster, from that point until the group's pledge to IS in 2014, and since the emergence of Islamic State affiliate Wilayat Sinai. This in-depth documentation is meant to serve as a case study of the impact that affiliating with IS has on local salafi jihadist groups. Details: The Hague: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: ICCT Research Paper: Accessed September 13, 2016 at: https://www.icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/ICCT-Zach-Gold-Salafi-Jihadist-Violence-in-Egypts-North-Sinai-April2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Egypt Keywords: Extremist Groups Shelf Number: 147915 |
Author: van Loon, A.J. Title: Law and Order in Ancient Egypt: The Development of Criminal Justice from the Pharaonic New Kingdom until the Roman Dominate Summary: In one way or another, the civilizations who ruled over Egypt in antiquity could all boast a close connection to the concepts of 'law' and 'justice'. Balance, justice, and order - all personified by the goddess Ma'at - were the cornerstones of Ancient Egyptian religion and society. The Greek Ptolemies, who ruled over Egypt between 323 and 30 BC, would become famous for their advanced and intricate bureaucracy, which also featured a highly effective law enforcement system. The Romans, more than any, prided themselves on their laws, which remain influential in modern societies to this day. This thesis sets out to discover the manner in which criminal justice in Egypt developed from the times of the New Kingdom, through the Ptolemaic era, and under Roman rule. Not only for the above-mentioned anecdotal reasons, but also because the capability to deal with crime and to maintain order can serve as an indicator for a successful administration in general. Because criminal law forms an integral part of a legal system as a whole, which, in turn, is inseparable from the general administrative system of a country, all of these will be taken into account. The following questions will be answered in this thesis: how were the various legal and administrative systems organized?; which actions were considered to be crimes by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans?; who possessed the legal authority to deal with these matters?; and in what manner were criminal transgressions dealt with in practice? In the end, the aim is to not only find out how criminal justice developed in the course of nearly two millennia, but also to offer an explanation as to why these developments took their specific course. Details: Leiden, NETH: Leiden University, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 27, 2016 at: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/30196/Law%20and%20Order%20in%20Ancient%20Egypt.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2014 Country: Egypt Keywords: Crime Shelf Number: 146152 |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: Summary: Since Egypt's military removed President Mohamed Morsy from office in 2013, the authorities have engaged in one of the widest arrest campaigns in the country's modern history, imprisoning tens of thousands. Most of the Muslim Brotherhood's top leadership, alongside alleged members of the Islamic State as well as non-Islamist critics of the government, are serving prison sentences in a maximum security facility known as Scorpion, part of the Tora prison complex in southern Cairo. "We Are in Tombs" documents conditions inside Scorpion, which since it was built in 1993 has served as the central detention facility for those deemed the most dangerous enemies of the state. What occurs inside lies hidden behind a wall of secrecy kept in place by the Interior Ministry, which oversees all aspects of Egypt's internal security, from arrest to investigation to imprisonment. Based on interviews with 20 relatives of inmates, two lawyers, and a former prisoner, as well as the review of medical documents, the report details how prison officials, under the authority of the Interior Ministry, subject inmates to cruel and inhuman treatment that in some cases probably amounts to torture, including severe beatings, prolonged confinement in cramped "discipline" cells, and interference in medical care that in some cases may have led to serious complications and even death. Inmates are locked away with prolonged bans on any access to relatives or lawyers, all in violation of international standards for the treatment of prisoners. The report calls on the Egyptian government to improve conditions in Scorpion, invite international detention monitors to visit, and prosecute officials with command responsibility if they are found to have committed abuses. Details: New York: HRW, 2016. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2016 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/egypt0916_web_4.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Egypt Keywords: Human Rights Abuses Shelf Number: 145445 |
Author: Tadros, Mariz Title: Settling After the Revolts? Egypt's Political Settlements and Violent Transition Summary: The uprisings in the Arab region generated much hope among significant proportions of the population that a rupture with the status quo would herald a new era marked by bread, freedom and social justice/human dignity, the catchphrase of many of the revolts. However, the new political settlements in many instances neither created the spaces for more inclusive politics, nor were they responsive to the masses' aspirations. This paper presents the case study of Egypt, a country that between January 2011 and July 2013 witnessed two regime overthrows following mass uprisings of a scale unprecedented in the region. While the country has not fallen into a state of civil war such as Syria, it has nevertheless been experiencing rising levels of violence since the revolution of January 2011. This paper discusses the nature of the political order in relation to violence through two nexuses: first, the extent to which the surge in violence, in particular political violence, can be attributed to the nature of the political settlements forged, and second, the extent to which a bottom-up approach informs our understanding of the dynamics and outcomes of political settlements. Details: Brighton, UK: Institute for Development Studies, 2014. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: IDS Evidence Report 57: Accessed June 13, 2017 at: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/3545/ER57%20Settling%20After%20the%20Revolts%20Egypt%E2%80%99s%20Political%20Settlements%20and%20Violent%20Transition.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2014 Country: Egypt Keywords: Socioeconomic Conditions and Crime Shelf Number: 146085 |
Author: Fabiani, Michelle Rose Dippolito Title: Strategic vs. Opportunistic Looting: The Relationship Between Antiquities Looting and Armed Conflict in Egypt Summary: Antiquities are looted from archaeological sites across the world, seemingly more often in areas of armed conflict. Previously, the relationship between antiquities looting and armed conflict has been assessed with qualitative case studies and journalistic evidence due to a lack of data. This study considers the relationship between antiquities looting and armed conflict in Egypt from 1997 - 2014 with a newly collected time series dataset. A combination of Lag-augmented Vector Autoregression (LA-VAR) and Auto-regressive Distributed Lag Models (ARDL) is used to look at both the overall relationship between these two phenomena and their temporal ordering. Ultimately, this thesis finds that: (1) antiquities looting and armed conflict have a positive statistically significant relationship, (2) there is stronger support for antiquities looting preceding armed conflict than for the reverse temporal ordering, and (3) this relationship varies by type of conflict. Details: College Park, MD: University of Maryland, 2016. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed June 17, 2017 at: http://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/19024 Year: 2016 Country: Egypt Keywords: Antiquities Shelf Number: 146224 |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "We Do Unreasonable Things Here": Torture and National Security in al-Sisi's Egypt Summary: Torture has long been endemic in Egypt's law enforcement system. Since 2013, when Egypt's military removed the country's former president, Mohamed Morsy, the Interior Ministry's regular police and National Security Agency have used torture on a systematic and widespread basis against perceived dissidents to force them to confess or divulge information or to punish them. "We Do Unreasonable Things Here": Torture and National Security in al-Sisi's Egypt, is based on interviews with former detainees tortured between 2014 and 2016. The report shows how police and National Security officers use nearly identical methods of torture in different parts of the country. In an environment defined by emergency rule, law enforcement officers in Egypt appear to enjoy a free hand to torture and mistreat detainees as they wish. Their actions are almost never questioned by the judges and prosecutors who should be checking such behavior. The report reiterates the conclusion reached by many previous reports by Human Rights Watch and other organizations, going back several decades, that the legal framework criminalizing torture in Egypt remains inadequate and falls far short of Egypt's basic obligations under international law, allowing abusive officers to escape justice. The report recommends that Egypt urgently establish a special prosecutor or inspector general's office to investigate and prosecute those responsible for torture. Absent credible national efforts to confront the torture epidemic, United Nations member states should investigate and, if appropriate, charge Egyptian officers and officials responsible for torture under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Details: New York: HRW, 2017. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2017 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/egypt0917_web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Egypt Keywords: Human Rights Abuse Shelf Number: 147329 |
Author: Global Detention Project Title: Immigration Detention in Egypt: Military Tribunals, Human Rights Abuses, Abysmal Conditions, and EU Partner Summary: Egypt has long been a destination and transit country for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants from across the Middle East and Africa. Its Mediterranean coast has served as an important staging point for people attempting to reach Europe irregularly. Observers have repeatedly expressed concerns about Egypt's use of police stations and prisons for immigration detention purposes. Despite on-going government repression of civil society organisations and the dire conditions migrants face in detention, Egypt remains a key EU partner in Mediterranean migration control policies. Its repeated crackdowns on irregular flows along its borders have led to higher rates of detentions and deportations. Details: Geneva, SWIT: GDP, 2018. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 28, 2018 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/immigration-detention-egypt Year: 2018 Country: Egypt Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 151730 |
Author: Elhalawani, Salawa Title: Hunting and Illegal Killings of Birds: Along the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt Socio Economic Study Summary: Twice yearly, millions of migratory birds fly between their breeding sites in temperate and Arctic zones in northern Europe and Asia, and winter in warmer regions like western and southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The unsustainable hunting and illegal killing of birds along Africa's Mediterranean north coast might be contributing to declines in the populations of migratory species, and constitutes a considerable challenge for bird conservation efforts, as many local communities in these areas might depend on bird hunting during the migration seasons for part of their livelihoods. Over several decades, hunting of migratory birds has taken different forms along Egypt's coast culminating in recent years in the widespread use of hundreds of kilometres of mist nets along the coastline in the autumn, all the way from the eastern to the western border. Efforts to address illegal and unsustainable legal bird trapping have to-date been impeded by a lack of reliable statistics regarding its scope and scale, as well as a limited understanding of the social, economic and cultural importance of trapping itself amongst local communities. Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE), under the supervision of the BirdLife International Secretariat, was awarded a small grant by the Secretariat of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA Secretariat) based on a financial contribution provided by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, to undertake a socioeconomic survey on bird hunting along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, to understand the socioeconomic dimensions of bird hunting, and assess the resource dependency and social resilience and communities' ability to cope with any future changes in regulations and conservation strategies. Survey fieldwork was conducted during the autumn season of 2015, from 9-21 September. This report delivers on Result 1.2 of the Plan of Action to Address Bird Trapping along the Mediterranean Coasts of Egypt and Libya (Emile et al., 2014). Methodology: The primary data source for the study was a field survey including quantitative and qualitative data, preceded by a review of relevant literature (see reference list). 73 bird hunters and traders from 25 local communities, towns and cities along the coast were interviewed following a comprehensive set of questions designed and tested prior to the survey. Group discussions were also held in communities where hunters agreed to participate. Results: -Overall, bird hunting is of highly significant socioeconomic importance for communities along the coast. -Although not systematically recorded in the context of the study, it was estimated that at least 75% of killing observed was illegal. -Social and economic dependency on bird hunting was found to be considerably high, while social resilience and ability to cope with conservation strategies is varied. -Household size, occupation and income are significant variables which affect the prominence of bird hunting in local communities. -Economic benefits received from bird hunting vary: from representing a major income supplement to covering basic subsistence. -There are three main hunter profiles: commercial, subsistence and cultural/recreational hunters. Recommendations: 1. To acknowledge the cultural significance of bird hunting and its importance to local communities 2. To engage local communities in decision-making regarding policy changes. 3. To enforce hunting legislation to bring the hunting of birds under effective control - through: a) Implementation of the recommendations from the review of hunting legislation undertaken by NCE and EEAA; b) Development of bird hunting management plan for the Mediterranean Coast and the rest of Egypt; c) To prohibit the use of mist nets in key areas along the coast; d) To set up a new system to increase fines for violations of hunting legislation; 4. To develop a mechanism to control, track and follow up on the legality of bird hunting permits. 5. To secure high-level political support to ensure that measures to address illegal bird killing are given a high priority; 6. To mainstream the socio-economic issues of bird hunting including through: a) Establishment of fish farms run by community members; b) Provision of small loans to community members for them to set up small businesses; c) Development of governmental incentive plans to cover part of the economic loss to hunters that may occur from new conservation strategies and hunting regulations. To increase awareness of bird conservation through: a) Working with local mosques' Imams, Islamic public figures and the media, to convey the bird conservation message to local people and raise awareness against illegal bird killing; b) Development of a bird conservation awareness-raising strategy with a focus on the younger generation; 8. To improve the knowledge of law enforcement and local authorities regarding the birds, hunting and trading of birds -particularly regarding species in trade of high conservation concern such as birds of prey. 9. To control the export of wild birds (legal and illegal). 10. To undertake further studies including: a) A study to investigate the export market; b) A study of non-hunters in the same areas to understand the socioeconomic situation of the population of these areas. Details: S.L.: BirdLife International, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2019 at: https://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/hunting_and_illegal_killing_in_egypt_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Egypt Keywords: Birds of Prey Shelf Number: 156538 |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "If You Are Afraid for Your Lives, Leave Sinai': Egyptian Security Forces and ISIS-Affiliate Abuses in North Sinai Summary: For over five years, civilians in Egypt's North Sinai governorate have been caught in the crossfire during the conflict between Egyptian government forces, mainly the army, and the Sinai Province armed group, an affiliate of the Islamic State. The army has effectively turned North Sinai into a closed military zone where reporting is banned. "If You Are Afraid for Your Lives, Leave Sinai!" is the result of a two-year long investigation into abuses by both sides in the armed conflict in North Sinai. Based on interviews with victims and witnesses, including former officers and officials, and a review of official statements, social media posts, media reports, and satellite imagery, the report finds that the army has arbitrarily arrested thousands of residents and disappeared hundreds of them, moving them into secret military detention facilities. Government forces have extrajudicially killed some of the detainees. The army also has recruited locals into unofficial militias who play a major role in these abuses. Civilians have also fallen victim to possible unlawful air and ground attacks by the Egyptian military. Moreover, government forces have imposed severe restrictions on various aspects of life, including transportation, electricity, and telecommunications, while forcibly evicting tens of thousands of people. The report additionally documents that fighters belonging to the militant group Sinai Province have engaged in a campaign of kidnap, torture, and murder of civilians opposing them or those perceived as government sympathizers. They have also used landmines close to civilian homes, resulting in casualties and forced evictions, and have imposed their own brutal interpretation of Sharia rules on residents in areas where the group exerts a significant degree of control. The report urges Egypt's international partners to halt all arms exports, security trainings, and assistance to the Egyptian army and police and condition resumption of such support on accountability for abuses and concrete improvement of human rights. Details: New York: Author, 2019. 144p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2019 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/egypt0519_web3_0.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Egypt Keywords: Extrajudicial Executions Shelf Number: 156707 |
Author: Global Financial Integrity Title: Egypt: Potential Revenue Losses Associated with Trade Misinvoicing Summary: In a comprehensive study on the level of trade misinvoicing in Egypt in 2016, GFI found that the estimated potential tax revenue losses to the Indonesian government that year is approximately US$1.6 billion, equivalent to 4.1 percent of the value of Egypt's total government revenue collections in 2016. Trade misinvoicing is a method for moving money illicitly across borders which involves the deliberate falsification of the value, volume, and/or type of commodity in an international commercial transaction of goods or services by at least one party to the transaction and constitutes the largest component of illicit financial flows as measured by GFI. Using a trade gap analysis, GFI was able to estimate potential revenue losses to the misinvoicing of Egypt's imports and exports across all trading partners. GFI estimates that the value of the trade gap for misinvoiced goods equals US$8.5 billion, or 10.5 percent of the country's total trade of US$80.6 billion in 2016. Here are a few other notable findings: Of the total estimated lost potential revenue of US$1.6 billion, approximately US$404 million was due to export misinvoicing and approximately US$1.2 billion was due to import misinvoicing. The US$1.2 billion in import misinvoicing can be further broken down by uncollected VAT tax (US$410 million), uncollected customs duties (US$358 million), and uncollected corporate income tax (US$428 million). The US$404 million in export misinvoicing can be further broken down by uncollected corporate income tax (US$181 million) and uncollected tax from royalty payments (US$223 million).In 2016, some of the Egyptian imports most at risk for high values of import under-invoicing were essential oils, vehicles, machinery and meats. In 2016, some of the Egyptian imports most at risk for high values of import under-invoicing were from Ireland, China and Switzerland. Looking simultaneously at both high-risk commodities and high-risk trade partners in 2016, GFI found that under-invoiced imports of essential oils from Ireland, Switzerland and the Netherlands, as well as nearly half of all imports from China, were highlighted as potential high-level risks for revenue losses. While a great deal of attention has been placed on the issue of profit shifting and abusive transfer pricing by multinational corporations, GFI believes revenue losses from trade misinvoicing are likely equivalent to those attributed to tax evasion and profit shifting by multinational corporations. GFI urges Egypt to strengthen the penalty for trade misinvoicing under Article 122, as the penalties at present are insufficient to deter criminals. GFI also recommends Egypt consider using GFI's online tool GFTrade, designed to build the capacity of customs authorities to better detect misinvoicing as transactions are occurring and take corrective steps in real time. GFI further recommends Egypt set a date for beginning automatic exchange of tax information and that Egypt should consider signing on to support the Addis Tax Initiative (ATI), a group of 55 countries committed to enhancing the mobilization and effective use of domestic revenues and to improving the fairness, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness of their tax systems. Details: Washington, DC: Author, 2019. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2019 at; https://secureservercdn.net/45.40.149.159/34n.8bd.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Egypt-2019-1.pdf?time=1561665671 Year: 2019 Country: Egypt Keywords: Financial Crime Shelf Number: 156730 |
Author: Global Financial Integrity Title: Egypt: Potential Revenue Losses Associated with Trade Misinvoicing Summary: This report analyzes Egypt's bilateral trade statistics for 2016 (the most recent year for which sufficient data are available), as published by the United Nations (Comtrade). The detailed breakdown of bilateral Egyptian trade flows in Comtrade allowed for the computation of trade value gaps that are the basis for misinvoicing estimates. Import gaps represent the difference between the value of goods Egypt reports having imported from its partner countries and the corresponding export reports by Egypt's trade partners. Export gaps represent the difference in value between what Egypt reports as having exported and what its partners report as imported. In addition to identifying the trade gaps in Egypt's 2016 imports and exports with its partners, the report also estimated the potential loss of tax revenue associated with the gaps. The analysis shows that the estimated potential loss of revenue to the Egyptian government is approximately US$1.6 billion for 2016. To put this figure in context, this amount represents 4.1 percent of the value of Egypt's total government revenue collections in 2016. Put still another way, the estimated value gap of all misinvoiced imports and exports was US$8.5 billion, which is equivalent to 10.5 percent of the country's total trade of US$80.6 billion in 2016. The total estimated potential lost revenue of US$1.6 billion is comprised of misinvoiced imports and exports. The portion of government revenue potentially lost due to import misinvoicing in 2016 was approximately US$1.2 billion. This amount can be further divided into its component parts: uncollected valueadded tax (VAT) (US$410 million), uncollected customs duties (US$358 million) and uncollected corporate income tax (US$428 million). The potentially lost revenue due to misinvoiced exports in 2016 was approximately US$404 million. This amount can be further divided into its component parts:uncollected corporate income tax (US$181 million) and uncollected tax from royalty payments (US$223 million) (See Table 2). Trade misinvoicing occurs in four ways: under-invoicing of imports or exports, and over-invoicing of imports or exports. In the case of import under-invoicing, fewer VAT taxes and customs duties are collected due to the lower valuation of goods on the invoices. When import over-invoicing occurs (i.e. when companies pay more than would normally be expected for a product), corporate revenues are lower, making taxable income levels lower and consequently less income tax is paid. In cases of export under-invoicing, the exporting company collects less revenue than would be anticipated and therefore reports lower taxable income, subsequently paying less income tax. Total misinvoicing gaps related to imports in 2016 can be broken down by import under-invoicing (US$3.2 billion) and import over-invoicing (US$2.6 billion). These figures represent the estimated value of the gap between what was reported by Egypt and its trading partners. The estimated loss in government revenue is a subset of these amounts and is based on VAT tax rates in 2016 (13.0 percent), customs duties in 2016 (calculated by WITS tariff data on line by line basis) and corporate income taxes on profit in 2016 (16.3 percent), which are then applied to the value gap. Export misinvoicing gaps were US$1.1 billion for export under-invoicing and US$1.6 billion for export overinvoicing. Lost corporate income taxes in 2016 (16.3 percent) and royalties (20.0 percent) are then applied to export under-invoicing amounts to calculate lost government revenue (See Table 2). The study also includes a more in-depth exploration of the US$358 million in tax revenues from customs duties that Egypt is estimated to have been lost due to import under-invoicing in 2016 by examining imports according to major commodity groups as listed among the United Nations Harmonized System (HS) product codes at the two-digit level. We examined Egypt's imports to identify particular products that appeared to be at especially high risk for trade misinvoicing in 2016 (See Figure 2). We also examined Egypt's imports in 2016 to identify particular trading partners that appeared to be at high risk for trade misinvoicing both in terms of their percentage total imports to Egypt, as well as in terms of their dollar values of estimated lost customs revenues. The under-invoiced imports with the potentially highest risk for revenue losses by dollar values included essential oils (HS 33) at US$202.5 million, vehicles (HS 87) at US$21. 1 million, machinery (HS 84) at US$12.8 million and meats (HS 2) at US$12.3 million (See Figure 2). The partner countries associated with largest potential dollar values of losses included Ireland (US$145.6 million), China (US$85.4 million) and Switzerland (US$28.2 million) (See Figure 3). In terms of looking at both at high risk for revenue losses by both under-invoiced imports and trading partners, the analysis finds that essential oils (HS 33) from Ireland appears to have been particularly acute in 2016. Under-invoicing associated with imports of essential oils (HS 33) from both Switzerland and the Netherlands were also highlighted as a potential risk for revenue losses, as well as nearly half of all imports from China were potentially at risk for revenue losses (See Figure 4). We conclude by listing a series of steps that Egypt can take at the national and international level to address the problem of trade misinvoicing in particular and the problem of illicit financial flows (IFFs) more generally. GFI commends Egypt for becoming a member of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force, a regional body of the Financial Action Task Force in May 2009 and for implementing country-by-country reporting in October 2018. On the issue of beneficial ownership (requiring the true owners of companies be identified), Egypt adopted its Anti-Money Laundering Law, or Law No. 80, in 2002, which addresses beneficial ownership. GFI recommends that Egypt consider making its beneficial ownership legislation part of its customs law as it would allow Egyptian Customs authorities to understand whether their borders are being used to facilitate illicit activity through trade and provide law enforcement authorities with a clear trail when pursuing investigations for customs fraud. On tax information exchange, Egypt joined the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (Global Forum) in 2016, but, as of November 2018, the Status of Commitments Report listed Egypt as among those "developing countries having not yet set the date" for the first automatic exchange of information (AEOI) with partner countries. GFI recommends that Egypt set a date for beginning AEOI and that Egypt should consider signing on to support the Addis Tax Initiative (ATI), a group of 55 countries committed to enhancing the mobilization and effective use of domestic revenues and to improving the fairness, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness of their tax systems. GFI also recommends that Egypt consider adopting its online tool - GFTrade - designed by GFI to build the capacity of customs authorities to better detect misinvoicing as transactions are occurring and take corrective steps in real time. At the international level, GFI recommends that Egypt use its diplomatic clout in the international arena to support a number of policy initiatives that require international cooperation to curtail IFFs. Of particular importance are international efforts to increase transparency in the global financial system, measures related to reducing the secrecy of tax havens and anonymous companies and efforts to curtail money laundering techniques. GFI recommends that Egypt and other world leaders take pro-active steps to support ongoing international efforts on these issues. Details: Washington, DC: Global Financial Integrity, 2019. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2019 at: https://secureservercdn.net/45.40.149.159/34n.8bd.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Egypt-2019-1.pdf?time=1563471945 Year: 2019 Country: Egypt Keywords: Customs Fraud Shelf Number: 156916 |