The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights calls for stopping referring civilians to military courts

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) expresses its worry for the continuous referral of civilians, especially social activists, to the military prosecution and the military courts. So, EOHR calls for stopping referring civilians to military courts and moving all the civilian lawsuits to the prosecutor general office for investigation.

On August 15, 2011, the political activist lawyer Maha Abu Bakr was summoned to the headquarters of the military prosecutor office for questioning on the lawsuit no. 3796/2011 military misdemeanors following giving a statement of the Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF). The activist stated that SCAF turned to a political body after taking the power in Egypt and that means it can be discussed or criticized.  The activist also called for going to Tahrir Square if the government refused to realize any of the demands.

Asmaa Mahfouz, 26, was summoned by military prosecutors on Sunday, August 14, 2011 for questioning on the lawsuit no. 55/2011 and later released on bail of 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($3,356) after posting messages on the social media network expressing concerns about the Egyptian justice system and the actions of the military government, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF)

The military police also arrested the political activist Loai Nagati on June 28, 2011 and charged him for contributing riots in Tahrir Square. Many campaigns were arranged for calling the Egyptian government to release him because of the deterioration of his health

EOHR emphasized that referring civilians to the military courts is entirely unacceptable by any of the Egyptian political powers. It does not comply with the principals of fair a transparent trial

Mr. Hafez Abu Seada, the head of EOHR, calls SCAF for fulfilling the given promises concerning stopping referring civilians, especially political activists and bloggers, to the military courts. He also stated that the continuous referral of civilians to the military courts is considered as a violation to the right to fair trial, according to the international standards of human rights and the Egyptian constitution. These acts also do not meet the 

revolutionary objectives 

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