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CLOSED: Egypt: Troops and Police acting above the law

Azza Hilal Ahmed Suliman, victim of assault by Egypt's security forces, seen at her home in Heliopolis, Cairo, 18 September 2012  ACTION TYPE     PETITION  

This action is now closed. An incredible 54,679 of you around the world signed this petition urging President Mohamed Morsi to protect the rule of law.

As protestors across the country are violently repressed by security forces, we continue to call for an end to excessive force as well as a commitment to ensure that those who are guilty of perpetrating such violence will be brought to justice. 

Thank you to all of you who added your name to this petition. For updates on the human rights situation in Egypt, please visit our campaign page

About the petition

In December 2011 49-year-old Azza Suleiman (pictured) attended a large protest near Tahrir Square. As she started to leave, she saw a group of soldiers violently beat and strip another female protestor.

Concerned, Azza and some others tried to help carry the woman away. But the soldiers reacted violently: they beat Azza so severely that she lost consciousness. Even then they did not stop. Their attack was so vicious it left Azza with a fractured skull and impaired memory. To date, no one has been held accountable for this violence. 

Azza’s treatment at the hands of the authorities is horrific but her story is not unique. Over 100 peaceful protestors have been killed by troops and police forces since early 2011 when Egyptians bravely took to the streets to demand political reform. 

Despite President Morsi making some positive changes since taking power, troops and police remain above the law. Find out more

Update 23 November: The President has announced new powers and decreed that his decisions cannot be challenged until a new parliament is elected. His decree is a blank cheque for human rights violations and the new powers trample the rule of law, undermining the judicial system.  Find out more about the decree

   

Tell President Morsi it is time for real reform. Tell him it is time to ensure justice for the people of Egypt. 

Please note: This petition text was updated on Tuesday 27 November to include a call for the repeal of Morsi's decree. Any names added before this date will be submitted with the previous text. 

President Morsi,

We, the undersigned call on you to ensure no member of the security forces or army is above the law.

I urge you to:

  • Open an independent and impartial investigation into the attack by Egyptian soldiers on Azza Hilal Ahmad Suleiman on 17 December 2011, and bring those who attacked her to justice in fair trials
  • Repeal the 22 November 2012 Constitutional Amendment and the Law Protecting the Revolution.
  • Amend the Code of Military Justice so that the civilian Public Prosecution can fully investigate abuses by the army, and amend the definition of torture in the Penal Code to bring it fully in line with international law and standards.
  • Ensure that Egyptian laws regulating the use of force are upheld, and that Egyptian law complies with international standards. I further urge you to ensure that all members of the army and security forces respect the rights of women and do not subject them to sexual or gender-based violence.
  • Establish an oversight mechanism that has the power to independently, effectively and impartially investigate all allegations of human rights violations by the security forces.