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STORY: GENEVA / EGYPT
TRT: 1.54
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 26 JULY 2013, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE – RECENT- GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Wide shot, exterior Palais des Nations
26 JULY 2013, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, journalists
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson, United Nations
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“We’re alarmed by some of the recent declarations by the Egyptian army and would like to stress that it’s the duty of security forces to protect all citizens whatever their political views. It’s extremely important that they do not resort to excessive use of force and that they recognise the right to peaceful protests by all parties who wish to protest peacefully.”
3. Wide shot, podium
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“UNHCR is concerned that the Egyptian military and security personnel have been arbitrarily arresting and detaining an increasing number of Syrians including several minors and also people who are registered with UNHCR, amid growing and disturbing anti-Syrian sentiment. We have been requesting access to 85 detained Syrians – those are the numbers we know about – and asking for assurances that they are not returned to Syria. We stress that they should be afforded a fair and due process in Egypt.”
5. Med shot, journalist
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“We do, just to conclude, appreciate the Egyptian Government, in statements recently and including to us. We have been in a number of meetings with them that Syrians are welcome in Egypt. But we do hope and call upon the government to ensure that any precautionary measures in light of the current security situation do not infringe upon fundamental human rights principles and the country’s international responsibilities to provide asylum and to protect refugees.”
7. Med shot, journalist
As supporters and opponents of the deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi stage mass rallies in Cairo, the United Nations Human Rights Office is calling for security forces not to use excessive force.
Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, says: “We’re alarmed by some of the recent declarations by the Egyptian army and would like to stress that it’s the duty of security forces to protect all citizens whatever their political views. It’s extremely important that they do not resort to excessive use of force and that they recognise the right to peaceful protests by all parties who wish to protest peacefully.”
Meanwhile the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, says it’s concerned over the detention of Syrian refugees who’ve been arrested over the past week or so over accusations that they participated in pro-President Morsi demonstrations. Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson for UNHCR, says: “UNHCR is concerned that the Egyptian military and security personnel have been arbitrarily arresting and detaining an increasing number of Syrians including several minors and also people who are registered with UNHCR, amid growing and disturbing anti-Syrian sentiment. We have
been requesting access to 85 detained Syrians – those are the numbers we know about – and asking for assurances that they are not returned to Syria. We stress that they should be afforded a fair and due process in Egypt.”
UNHCR says that since the start of the Syrian conflict, Syrians had been welcome in Egypt but a growing number of Syrians now say that they fear they will be arrested if they go out in public. The Refugee Agency has called on the Egyptian Government to continue to provide asylum and
protection for Syrian refugees: “But we do hope and call upon the government to ensure that any precautionary measures in light of the current security situation do not infringe upon fundamental human rights principles and the country’s international responsibilities to provide asylum and to protect refugees.”
