{"id":4087,"date":"2025-04-29T10:09:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T10:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/egyptianforum.org\/?p=4087"},"modified":"2025-04-29T10:54:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T10:54:39","slug":"rights-groups-warn-against-designating-egypt-as-a-safe-country-of-origin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/egyptianforum.org\/en\/rights-groups-warn-against-designating-egypt-as-a-safe-country-of-origin\/","title":{"rendered":"Rights Groups Warn Against Designating Egypt as a Safe Country of Origin"},"content":{"rendered":"

The undersigned organizations find the European Commission\u2019s April 16, 2025 proposal to establish a Union-wide list of \u201csafe countries of origin\u201d and to include Egypt among them incompatible with the EU\u2019s human rights obligations. This measure risks severely undermining the rights of asylum seekers and weakening the EU\u2019s commitments to international protection standards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The designation of Egypt as a “safe country of origin” would trigger <\/span>accelerated asylum procedures <\/span><\/a>for its nationals, increasing the likelihood of <\/span>\u00a0applicants rejected<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 without a thorough and fair individual assessment. Such an approach conflicts with the principle that each asylum claim must be evaluated based on its own merits, as repeatedly affirmed by European and international courts.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the Commission\u2019s proposal acknowledges human rights challenges in Egypt, it astonishingly concludes that these do not amount to persecution or serious harm under articles 9 and 15 of the <\/span>Qualification Regulation<\/span><\/a> (EU 2024\/1347). This conclusion disregards consistent findings from UN mechanisms, <\/span>treaty bodies<\/span><\/a>, and independent civil society reports.<\/span><\/p>\n

Extensive <\/span>reports<\/span><\/a> have documented <\/span>widespread and systematic abuses<\/span><\/a> in Egypt: severe restrictions on freedoms of expression, <\/span>association<\/span><\/a>, and peaceful assembly; arbitrary detention, <\/span>enforced disappearances<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>torture<\/span><\/a>; and the <\/span>persecution<\/span><\/a> of human rights defenders, journalists, and political opponents under the guise of counterterrorism measures. These conditions have been recognized and condemned by <\/span>UN Special Procedures<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>European Parliament<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>international <\/span><\/a>human rights <\/span>organizations<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

UN Special Procedures have <\/span>raised concerns<\/span><\/a> over Egypt's asylum law, which was developed without meaningful consultation and does not meet international standards. It imposes arbitrary restrictions, criminalizes irregular entry, fails to guarantee protection from refoulement, and leaves asylum seekers vulnerable to detention and deportation. These risks have been demonstrated in recent cases involving <\/span>Uyghur<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Sudanese<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Eritrean <\/span><\/a>nationals.<\/span><\/p>\n

References to initiatives such as the National Human Rights Strategy and the National Dialogue cannot substitute for genuine reform. Independent assessments show no substantial improvement in Egypt\u2019s human rights situation, nor in respect for the <\/span>rule of law<\/span><\/a>. Rather, they highlight ongoing arbitrary detentions, suppression of dissent, and a <\/span>lack of judicial independence<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Designating Egypt as a “safe country of origin” at this time would not only disregard overwhelming evidence to the contrary but it would also endanger the lives and rights of those seeking refuge, violating the EU\u2019s obligations under the principle of non-refoulement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accordingly, we urge the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament to:<\/b><\/p>\n