The ACIJLP Calls upon the Egyptian authorities to take the necessary measures and actions To confront all forms of intolerance and sectarian violence

Cairo 5^thAugust 2013

The ACIJLP Calls upon the Egyptian authorities to take the necessary measures and actions

To confront all forms of intolerance and sectarian violence

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its full condemnation to all forms of violence, counter-violence taking place in the Egyptian arena at this time, it also expresses its deep concern about increasing Letters of scorn and discrimination, and the increasing cases of incitement to violence, at the expense of tolerance and equality and combating all forms of violence, which may negatively affect the human rights situation, and creates a fertile environment for a series of violations of fundamental rights and freedoms in Egypt.

The ACIJLP is deeply concerned about the existence of incentives to sectarian violence in light of the political and security conditions experienced by Egypt since the 25^th January revolution. the violence - which is not the first of its kind in Egypt - witnessed in (the village of Bani Ahmed in Minya governorate - South Egypt) on Saturday, 3^rd July 2013 and resulted in injuries exchanged between the people of this village, Muslims and Copts, increases the concerns of the ACIJLP as a sign of a crisis and sectarian violence that may be exacerbated in Egypt in the next phase.

The ACIJLP believes that the current climate in Egypt will allow the increase of sectarian violence, especially with the continued existence of tough religious discourse and through religious and media institutions alike. Moreover, the official authorities ignore the calls of incitement to mutual sectarian violence, and the erosion of the principle of the rule of law, under a bad security and judicial status along with the spread of the culture of impunity.

The ACIJLP points out that this climate threaten the spread and development of sectarian violence and the diversity of its forms, where tensions between Egyptian Muslims and Egyptian Copts, began to take more serious dimensions and turn sectarian tensions into violence and murder. Other forms of sectarian violence began in Egypt, represented in the sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites, which resulted in the killing of "4 Egyptians Shiites in Abu Nomros - Giza Governorate" on 23^rdJune last year.

The ACIJLP calls upon the Egyptian government and its various agencies, including agencies responsible for security, media, education, and religious institutions to carry out their responsibilities on the security and Social level, and to take the necessary measures to avoid repercussions of this sectarian tension, which threatens to invade the Egyptian society, and change the religious discourse. In addition to taking strict legislative measures to prevent the expansion of the circle of violence and to criminalize sectarian religious practices, and calls for hatred, contempt and incitement to violence, while providing safeguards for the enforcement of those laws and legislation.

The ACIJLP emphasizes that while taking measures and procedures referred to, the concerned Egyptian authorities is responsible for taking the necessary actions and measures to stop the contempt calls, hatred and incitement to violence and draining its resources within the framework of the legal and judicial measures.