The names of members of Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights revealed

Egypt's NCHR during its meeting

Egypt’s Shura Council (upper house of Egypt’s Parliament which has a consultative role) revealed on Tuesday, 4 September, the names of 27 members of the newly reshuffled National Council for Human Rights.

National Council for Human Rights was created in the country for observing and defending human rights and freedoms of Egyptians. NCHR is also responsible for advising the state institutions, government and other relevant bodies on issues related to human rights in Egypt. NCHR can also receive the complaints from the citizens regarding the violations of their rights and advice the parties on the legal procedures which are necessary to be taken in case of abuses of human rights. Egypt’s NCHR also releases the regular statements and reports about the situation with human rights and freedoms in Egypt.

Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights faces now the second reshuffle since the ouster of Egypt’s ex-president Hosni Mubarak. According to the law, its members are to be chosen and appointed by Shura Council. Egypt’s Upper House of Parliament discussed the list of nominees which consists from 80 names and revealed today the names of 27 body’s members.

The new NCHR includes the figures representing diverse political forces; there are also journalists, artists, TV-hosts, intellectuals and prominent Egyptian figures among them. But generally the new appointed NCHR is strongly dominated by Islamist forces, with almost one third of the panel representing either Muslim Brotherhood or Salafi movements, or the individuals known for their public support of Muslim Brotherhood.

Here is the list of the newly appointed members of Egypt’s new National Council for Human Rights:

Houssam El-Gheriany, judge, head of Egypt’s current Constituent Assembly, was appointed as NCHR’s President.

Abdul Gaffar Shukr, founder of Socialist Popular Alliance party, was appointed as NCHR’s Vice-President.

Other Council’s members (in alphabetical order):

Abdel-Khaled Farouq, an economy expert, head of Nile Center for Economic and Strategic Studies.

Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsoud, Muslim Brotherhood’s lawyer.

Abdullah Badran, member of Salafist Al-Nour party.

Abdullah El-Ashaal, Islamic thinker, international law professor. He has competed in Egypt’s latest presidential election.

Ahmed Harara, doctor, political activist, one of the co-founders of Egypt’s Constitution Party (new Mohamed El-Baradei’s party). Ahmed Harara is a prominent person, well known and very respected among Egyptians, really iconic figure. He is a revolutionary activist who has lost both of his eyes during the revolution (one eye in January 25 Revolution, and another one during the Mohamed Mahmoud clashes in December 2011).

Ahmed Seif El-Islam, leftist lawyer, human rights activist, co-founder of Hisham Mubarak Law Center.

Amira Aboul-Fotouh, writer, columnist in Al-Wafd newspaper.

Bahi El-Din Hassan, prominent Egyptian human rights activist, director of Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies.

Ehab El-Kharrat, member of Egypt’s Social Democratic Party, also member of the human rights committee in Egypt’s Constituent Assembly.

Fahmi Al-Damati, prominent Egyptian lawyer.

Hanna Gereis, Coptic-Christian activist, former MP of now dissolved People’s Assembly (lower house of Egypt’s Parliament). She was also a member of SCAF’s advisory council.

Hany Abdel-Aal, prominent Egyptian journalist.

Hoda Abdel-Moneim, prominent Egyptian lawyer, chairperson of women’s affairs’ committee in FJP (Freedom and Justice Party, political wing of Muslim Brotherhood).

Mahmoud Ghozlan, official spokesperson of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood.

Marianne Malak, Coptic-Christian, former MP of now dissolved People’s Assembly, also the youngest MP in Egypt.

Mohamed Azab, prominent Egyptian journalist.

Mohamed El-Beltagy, secretary-general of FJP (Freedom and Justice Party).

Mohamed Toson, member of Muslim Brotherhood’s FJP, head of the legislative and constitutional affairs committee of Egypt’s Shura Council.

Mohamed Zarei, lawyer, activist. He is a head of Arab Penal Reform Organization and former head of Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners.

Mona Makram Ebeid, professor of political science. Former MP, member of Al-Wafd Party, currently a member of Egyptian Social Democratic Party.

Sawfat Hegazy, he is a prominent Islamic preacher, known as a supporter of Muslim Brotherhood.

Talaat Marzouk, a member of Salafist Al-Nour Party.

Tareq Moawad, prominent Egyptian activist.

Wael Khalil, prominent Egyptian leftist activist.

Wegdan Al-Araby, actor and member of Muslim Brotherhood.