The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) will hold a public lecture, on Saturday, August 4, in the headquarters of the Young Muslim Women’s Association located in Moled El Nabi Square, Beni Suef. This lecture comes in light of the number of civilians being tried before military courts exceeding 12,000. It also comes in the context of widespread calls by human rights groups on President Mohamed Morsi to allow for a retrial of militarily-tried civilians before ordinary judges, and in view of a real political crisis facing the judiciary. The lecture will be delivered by human rights activist, lawyer, and member of the “No to Military Trials for Civilians” Group, Ahmed Ragheb.
The lecture will discuss the impact of military trials on the independence of the judiciary, as well as the articles of the law through which civilians are referred to military courts, especially the recent amendments to the Military Code of Justice. The lecture will also examine the president’s powers and his role in halting military trials, whether by releasing or retrying civilians or not approving relevant detention decisions.
The lecture is organized as part of “Our Rights in 100 Days” Campaign launched by the Forum of Independent Human Rights Organizations (17 Organizations). The campaign comes immediately after a memorandum on human rights priorities during the first hundred days of Morsi’s presidency was sent to the president with the aim of imposing human rights priorities on his agenda during that period.
The campaign aims to monitor and analyze the president’s performance regarding human rights issues, as well as political, social, and economic rights during his first hundred days.
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