OHCHR / EGYPT CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

The UN Human Rights Office expressed concerns regarding Egypt’s new Code of Criminal Procedure, which was recently approved by the House of Representatives and is now pending presidential approval. OHCHR / UNTV CH

• Video Length: 00:01:21
• Production Date: 13 May 2025
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: EGYPT
• MAMS Id: 3395008
• Parent Id: 3395008
• Alternate Title: unifeed250513f

Description

STORY: OHCHR / EGYPT CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
TRT: 1:21
SOURCE: OHCHR / UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 13 MAY 2025, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We have raised concerns over provisions of the law that will grant public prosecutors broad discretionary powers related to pre-trial detention, interception of communications, and travel bans.”
4. Wide shot, briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The law will also provide for other measures adversely impacting the right to effective legal representation, and on accountability for the conduct of public officials, including law enforcement personnel.”
6. Wide shot, briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“Last-minute amendments were reportedly made to the draft law before it was sent to the President for his approval. However, these changes have not been made public, raising concerns about lack of legislative transparency.”
8. Wide shot, briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We call on the President of Egypt to consider carefully the proposed Criminal Procedure Code in light of these concerns prior to granting any assent, in order to ensure that it fully complies with Egypt’s international human rights obligations.”
10. Wide shot, briefing room

Storyline

The UN Human Rights Office expressed on Tuesday (13 May) concerns regarding Egypt’s new Code of Criminal Procedure, which was recently approved by the House of Representatives and is now pending presidential approval.

“We have raised concerns over provisions of the law that will grant public prosecutors broad discretionary powers related to pre-trial detention, interception of communications, and travel bans,” said Thameen Al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights office.

“The law will also provide for other measures adversely impacting the right to effective legal representation, and on accountability for the conduct of public officials, including law enforcement personnel,” Al-Kheetan told reporters at the UN bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.

“Last-minute amendments were reportedly made to the draft law before it was sent to the President for his approval. However, these changes have not been made public, raising concerns about lack of legislative transparency,” he said.

“We call on the President of Egypt to consider carefully the proposed Criminal Procedure Code in light of these concerns prior to granting any assent, in order to ensure that it fully complies with Egypt’s international human rights obligations,” he added.