The Workshop on the Modernization of Penal Legislation in Egypt organized by the Arab Organization for Human Rights in partnership with Hands of Cain, Italy, was launched at 10 am this morning to strengthen the role of civil society in the promotion of criminal justice.

The workshop is attended by representatives of the executive, legislative and judicial authorities, the National Council for Human Rights and human rights NGOs that are concerned with legislation and criminal justice. The workshop focused on the outputs of the expert table held yesterday to deepen the discussion on the issues raised and to make practical proposals, commensurate with constitutional entitlements and international human rights standards.

The session was opened by Mr. Alaa Shalabi, Secretary General of the Arab Organization for Human Rights. The first session focused on the application of criminal justice in the light of international commitments. The session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Abu El Wafa, Professor of Public International Law at Cairo University and member of the National Council for Human Rights. Mr. Ali Bader, a member of the Human Rights Committee in the House of Representatives, which discussed the constitutional guarantees in the field of criminal justice. The third session was chaired by Mr. Mahmoud Kandil, the lawyer and the senior advisor to the Arab Organization for Human Rights.

The workshop listened to key interventions by Professor Alaa Shalabi, Professor Mahmoud Kandil, and Advisor Mohammed Diaa, Head of Public Prosecution in the General Directorate of Human Rights in the Attorney General’s Office on the Criminal Protection of Groups in Need of Care.

The program of the workshop includes the discussion of ways to bridge the gaps between penal legislation and constitutional guarantees and international standards, practical issues in the definition of punitive philosophy, reviewing issues including the death penalty, combating torture, treatment of groups in need and special care and how to enrich the proposed amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure.

For experts, please visit http://aohr.net/portal/?p=9042