The Chairman of the National Council for Human Rights, Boutros Ghali, found himself in an embarrassing situation yesterday at a celebration held at Beni Suef University for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A student attending the celebration, who said had spent 13 years in prison, fiercely criticized Ghali and the situation of human rights in Egypt.
At the end of Ghali's speech, the student stood up on the balcony of he hall opposite to the panel and said: "There are no human rights in Egypt, there are just animals rights."
Beni Suef University Vice-President el-Mursi Mohamed el-Mursi tried to interrupt him saying: "If you have a question, write it on a piece of paper like your colleagues and we'll submit it to Dr. Boutros".
"I'm Mohamed Abdel Wahab Mursi and I was a political prisoner from 1994 to 2007. If you don't let me speak, I'll jump from this balcony onto the students" he replied.
"Where are human rights in Egypt?" the student answered. The vice-president tried to cut short his intervention, but he failed and the some 500 students attending the ceremony clapped Mr. Mohamed. At that point, the vice-president could do nothing but to leave him the floor.
"Where's democracy in Egypt? Is it the one that kept me behind bars for 13 years with no trial? And I'm saying this although I know that State Security is here today" the student said.
"Besides, what is the tie between the National Council for Human Rights in Egypt and its counterparts in the Arab countries?"
Before he could be given any answer, he said: "I'm not going to listen to any answer, as I know the guys are waiting for me to take me to jail."
The student then left the hall with a member of Beni Suef University.
Dr. Ghali answered by saying: "At the Council, we have a committee dealing with such complaints. We then submit these complaints to executive bodies, as the Council has no executive power."
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