U.N. rights chief says Egypt has arrested 1,000

[struggle4progress]

Source: Reuters

Fri Jan 28, 2011 3:35pm GMT

GENEVA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The Egyptian authorities have arrested more than 1,000 people during four days of mass protests against President Hosni Mubarak's three-decade rule, the United Nations' human rights chief said on Friday.

Navi Pillay said Egypt needs to allow its citizens to demonstrate without fear, and to stop trying to silence critics.

She urged the lifting of emergency law, which she said "lies at the root of much of the frustration and anger that has now boiled over into the streets."

"I call on the government to take concrete measures to guarantee the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, including by restoring free use of mobile phones and social networks," Pillay said in a statement ...

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/egyptNews/idAFLDE70R1NG20110128

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Egypt: UN officials urge Government restraint, respect for human rights

28 January 2011 – Top United Nations officials today urged the Government of Egypt to protect the rights of its citizens amid the political protests taking place in the country, particularly freedoms of expression, information and assembly.

“One of the ground principles of democracy is to protect and ensure the freedom of speech of the people,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, when asked about the situation in Egypt ...

The Secretary-General stressed that the situation in Egypt, and the wider region, must not lead to further violence.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged the Egyptian Government to exercise restraint, and to initiate investigations into reports of the use of excessive force, particularly the killing of at least five and possibly more civilians ...

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37406&Cr=egypt&Cr1=