Mohamed Higazy: 'Egypt is realizing its quest for democracy'

Ambassador Higazy, Western media quite often criticizes the current situation of the democratization process in Egypt. Some, including Deutsche Welle, argue that the overall situation is as bad or even worse than it was in the Mubarak-era. What is your answer to that?

Mohamed Higazy: I do not subscribe to this. Egypt has been on its course towards democracy since June 30, 2013. It has committed itself to the stipulation of the road map. That means rewriting the constitution and organizing a referendum. The European Union and other institutions supervised the presidential elections. We are heading towards the third commitment of the roadmap: the parliamentary elections. Egypt is realizing its quest for democracy.

But Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently published a report, which described the current situation as the "most dramatic reversal of human rights in Egypt's modern history under President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi."

I don't think HRW worked with objectivity and I disagree with such a statement. Egypt is in a difficult transition process and is facing challenges from within by terrorist and jihadist groups in Northern Sinai. Egypt has to maintain law and order. But in doing so, it also respects the state of law.

You mentioned the Sinai Peninsula. On October 24, more than 30 security forces were killed in Northern Sinai. In total, the number of victims on there has risen to several hundred. Is the government's policy really successful?

The terrorist groups are threatening not only Egypt but the whole region. They turn the Middle East into a fragile and fragmented society where all the communities and minorities, in particular, will suffer. The war against [the terrorists] will not only protect regional but also international security – including Europe's security.

Some estimate that at least 22,000 people have been imprisoned since July 2013. What about the state of human rights in Egypt?

Egypt witnessed two peaceful popular revolutions on January 25, 2011 and on June 30, 2013, calling for freedom, social justice and human dignity. On June 30, 2013 around 30 million Egyptians went to the streets in their second revolution against a regime that attempted to establish a religious state and implemented serious measures which threatened the rule of law and aimed to secure power for its own party. The quest of the people was to have a modern democratic state.

Concerning the figures you mentioned, they are by far exaggerated. I assure you that Egypt does not have any political prisoners.

This week an Egyptian court ordered prominent activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah back to jail. He was arrested in November after a protest outside parliament against the law restricting demonstrations. Is that Egypt's way of silencing its opponents?

If there is a law, then one must abide by it. It is a legal process and we in the executive are not allowed to comment on a legal process. However, I assure you that we trust the Egyptian judiciary system which has the mechanisms of appeal. The Egyptian judiciary system guarantees the accused and the defenders all rights.

On October 26, 2014, a Cairo court sentenced 23 people to three years in prison for a peaceful demonstration on June 21 that challenged the law. Once more: would you call this a proper human rights record?

Last week, Egypt received Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, the European Union's special representative for human rights. We disclosed our whole system to him. The United Nations Human Rights Council [also assessed Egypt's human rights record using its mechanism - known as the Universal Periodic Review - last week]. H.E. Mr. Ibrahim El-Heneidy, minister of transitional justice, headed Egypt's delegation during that meeting. It discussed [the national report on] measures […] related to enhancing e.g. political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights.

Our ultimate aim is to protect human rights. But there is also a law to be respected. Our law does not restrict demonstrations, but regulates them. And as you know, such regulatory procedures are common in many countries, including Western democracies, where notifications for demonstrations are required. And the right of peaceful demonstrations are guaranteed [by our law as well]. Any individual has the right to disagree with this law or others, but you have to try to modify it through peaceful and legal mechanisms.

No country can exist without restoring law and order. These are the two principles Egypt is based upon. Again, Egypt is in a difficult political situation. It finds itself in a state of transition and is exerting effort to realize the goals of its revolution: freedom, democracy and social justice.

Dr. Mohamed Abdelhamid Ibrahim Higazy is Egypt's ambassador to Germany.