Partners for Transparency organized a side event at the UN Human Rights Council on the margins of Egypt's review under the UPR mechanism at its 4th session, through which it addressed the right to privacy, information circulation, anti-corruption and fair trials.

In this context, Merna Shalash, President of Partners Foundation, stressed the importance of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, confirming that 68.45% of the Strategy was implemented in the third phase over the past two years. Shalash recommended accelerating the promulgation of necessary laws such as the Freedom of Information circulation and Protection of Whistleblowers and Witnesses Act, as well as updating existing anti-corruption laws to ensure the achievement of the Strategy's objectives.

Ayman Okeil, Human Rights Expert and Chairman of Maat for Peace, stressed the importance of continuing the dialogue on the draft Criminal Procedures Law in order to reach mechanisms to ensure fair trials. Okeil commended reducing the period of pretrial detention in the proposed draft law, and recommended that it should include a shift towards digital transformation in Egyptian courts. In a related context, Okeil stressed the importance of reducing the number of texts that lead to the death penalty, to the extent that is commensurate with the most serious crimes, while taking into account the specificity of Egyptian custom and its orientations regarding this penalty.

Hristian Vutov, Human Rights Activist, highlighted the right to privacy in Egypt, calling for raising citizens' awareness of data protection through national campaigns and workshops. Helena Dejanovic, Human Rights Activist, appealed the Egyptian government to commit to submitting periodic reports to international human rights mechanisms on a timely manner and to ratify international conventions and treaties to which it is not a party.

Michal Majcher, Human Rights Officer, appealed the Government to expand employment and training opportunities for youth for employment and to combat stereotypes about migrants in Egypt, as part of addressing the right to work, health and migrants’ rights. Eva Lovaszova, Human Rights Officer, commended the launch of the “Egypt Data” platform in 2022 and the annual “Citizen’s Budget” report, and recommended that the government review the Anti-Cybercrime Law No. 175 of 2018.

The side event was moderated by Kenzy Osama, Coordinator of International Relations at Partners for Transparency, who stressed the commitment of Partners Foundation to organize this event, which witnessed significant interaction by the audience, due to the importance of civil society's role in the UPR mechanism.