Jerome Praises Latest Improvements of Egypt's Human Rights File

Tarek Radwan, the head of the Human Rights Committee at the House of Representatives, received on Wednesday Jerome Fontana, the head of the delegation of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Cairo.

After participating in a visit organized by the Ministry of Interior to the Correctional and Rehabilitation Center in Wadi El Natroon, Fontana delivered a positive impression and satisfaction towards the newly adapted mechanism by the Egyptian government of rehabilitating the criminal to manage to situate himself in his community once again after departing prison.

Moreover, he revealed during a meeting with the parliamentary Human Rights Committee that the concept of correction and rehabilitation would help the criminal to engage to his society once again, and have a normal lifestyle, without planning any illegal actions or behaviors.

The ICCR's delegation's head added that there is a positive and significant shift in redefining the process of punishment which proves Egypt's intention for establishing a new strategy and new republic.

On his side, Radwan said that establishing the center led to the shutting of 12 prisons, which would allow the authorities to benefit from these lands whether through establishing more residential compounds or offering them for investment.

Mohamed Abdel Aziz, the undersecretary of parliamentary Human Rights Committee, and the member of Coordination of Parties’ Youth and Politicians (CPYP), highlighted that ICRC did significant efforts in Cairo and Africa.

Aziz added that parties concerned with human rights should exchange points of view with the ICRC, and examine the best methods of cooperation between the delegation and the Egyptian House of Representatives in the light of launching two grand projects such as Decent Life initiative, and the National Strategy of Human Rights.

He asserted that the Committee of Human Rights in the House of Representatives follows up all those initiatives and their developments, affirming that ICRC would positively support Egypt's human rights file.

It is worthy to mention that the visit to Correctional and Rehabilitation Center in Wadi El Natroon was attended by human rights committees in the two rooms of the Egyptian Parliament, several parliamentary members, media persons, journalists, international reporters, diplomatic delegations, international organizations' representatives.