Individuals who cooperated with SR on housing: one witness
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2019-035-004
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2019
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 26.820553
Longitude: 30.802498
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Egypt
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Special Procedures: Thematic
- Dates of prior UN action
- 2 November 2018
- Type of record
- Unnamed individual/group/organization
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
individuals who cooperated with the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing during her visit to Egypt from 24 September to 3 October 2018
- Engagement with UN body
- UN Special Procedures: thematic
- Dates of engagement
- from 24 September to 3 October 2018
- Type of attempted engagement
- Meeting with UN officials during country visit / with locally present UN officials
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- after SR visit
- Reprisal information
allegations of forced evictions and violations of the rights to physical integrity, liberty and security in what appeared to be “a pattern” of acts of intimidation and reprisals against individuals who cooperated with the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing during her visit to Egypt from 24 September to 3 October 2018
Already at the conclusion of her visit, the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing expressed that “one of the most challenging aspects was to access individuals, families and organizations defending the right to housing."
Prior to the visit, individuals reported phone calls by Government officials enquiring whether they intended to meet the Special Rapporteur. After the visit, individuals reported being followed by unknown persons and photographed in their place of residence; house demolitions and forced evictions against community leaders who met the Special Rapporteur; the undisclosed detention of one resident for two days and a physical attack against one witness. 72 It was reported that one person fled Egypt for security reasons following the visit.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Physical attack: Physical attack - General
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- State actors
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Government response dates
- 1 January 2019
- Government response content
Government responded to the concerns of special procedures, 73 expressing that it contained “numerous unfounded allegations, including intimidations and demolition of homes, without any details about the individuals in question or the areas.” It noted that the authorities were unable to verify allegations and initiate investigations as insufficient details were provided. The Government confirmed its full respect and observance of the assurances given that no one would be subject to intimidation or reprisal in relation to the visit.
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- No
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 0