AFTE to continue working with its partners to change this repressive law and defend the freedom of civil society
2 May 2023
The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) has announced that it submitted all necessary documents to the Ministry of Social Solidarity this week with the aim of establishing a civil society organization. It hopes the ministry will finalize the registration process within the legally specified period. AFTE took this step in compliance with Law No. 149 of 2019, which regulates the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), despite its criticism of it being a repressive law that imposes many bureaucratic restrictions on the work of civil society organizations and allows security agencies to interfere in their activities and restrict their independence.
“We have worked as a law firm for many years, and we have always aimed to expose human rights violations and provide necessary support to the target groups,” AFTE’s Executive Director Mohamed Abdel Salam said, adding: “Despite the change in AFTE’s legal status to be registered as a civil society organization, we will continue all our activities alongside work to change the civil society law.”
Writer and rights activist Khaled Mansour submitted AFTE’s registration papers to the Ministry of Social Solidarity. AFTE’s board of trustees included a number of public figures with long experience in the field of civil society work. They are:
- Human rights lawyer Ragia Omran, chair of the board
- Human rights lawyer Azza Soliman, vice-chair of the board
- Rights activist Gasser Abdel Razek, AFTE’s secretary-general
- Human rights lawyer Fatma Serag, AFTE’s treasurer
- University professor Mustafa Kamel El-Sayed, member of the board
The board of trustees will assume its tasks in accordance with the civil society law once the registration process is officially over. Its tasks will include representation before the judiciary, supervision of the executive team, and the development of its work strategies and future plans.
AFTE affirms that it has not encountered any obstacles or restrictions from any executive body during the registration process so far. It will be committed to updating the public on developments regarding the continuation of its work under this law, in addition to using all legal means to ensure freedom of its work as well as the work of other independent human rights organizations.
AFTE decided to submit its papers to be registered under the civil society law after a long series of internal discussions that included its work team, board of trustees, and many of its partners. These discussions came up with some basic considerations for AFTE to continue its work. These included the following:
First: Publicity and advocacy: AFTE’s work should continue to be based on publicity, while undertaking advocacy efforts and providing legal support, including addressing the relevant authorities and the public, and litigation, something which AFTE has been doing for more than 15 years.
Second: Carrying on human rights work from inside Egypt: AFTE should continue to play a strategic role with its partners in carrying on human rights work from inside Egypt, and rejecting the pressures that push human rights organizations to leave the country or close down. This role is a cornerstone in confronting repressive government practices and enabling Egyptians to enjoy their rights.
Third: Meeting the needs of the target groups: AFTE should provide its services to journalists, students, university professors, creative people, political activists, social media users, in addition to legislators and decision-makers.
Fourth: Working to change the civil society law: AFTE should continue working with its partners in order to ensure the endorsement of a new law that regulates the activities of NGOs in line with relevant international standards. It should also ensure that the new law will keep NGOs away from the influence of security agencies.
AFTE hopes that its registration under the civil society law will help it achieve its goals by using litigation and advocacy tools and expanding work and coordination with registered civil society organizations.
