HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS By the end of the year, authorities had yet to 1. “Ecuador: Authorities must be held accountable for 79 deaths in design and implement a national policy for prisons”, 24 February the protection of human rights defenders at 2. Ecuador: Amicus Curiae sobre despenalización del aborto por risk. violación (Index: AMR 28/4043/2021), 27 April (Spanish only) Human rights defenders, including Carlos Jipa, María Espinosa, Vivian Idrovo and EGYPT Xavier Solis, continued to face criminal proceedings for allegedly endangering the Arab Republic of Egypt physical integrity of a judge and his family. Head of state: Abdel Fattah al-Sisi The proceedings followed a criminal Head of government: Moustafa Madbouly complaint by the judge who, on 1 September 2020, had rejected a petition for The rights to freedom of expression and precautionary measures submitted by the association were severely repressed. human rights defenders on behalf of Authorities targeted human rights Indigenous peoples affected by the 2020 oil defenders, opposition politicians and other spill. The defenders had complained that the activists through unlawful summons, judge had not ensured due process coercive questioning, extrajudicial probation guarantees. measures, criminal investigations, unfair FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND prosecutions and inclusion on a “list of ASSEMBLY terrorists”. Thousands of people, including human rights defenders, journalists, While investigations continued into the students, opposition politicians, business human rights violations committed during owners and peaceful protesters, remained October 2019 protests, no law enforcement arbitrarily detained. Dozens were convicted officials had been charged or prosecuted by after grossly unfair trials or were tried by the end of the year. emergency courts on charges stemming from the peaceful exercise of their human DETAINEES’ RIGHTS rights. Enforced disappearances and torture At least 316 people deprived of their liberty continued unabated. Conditions of were killed in prisons in clashes between rival detention remained cruel and inhuman, and gangs, including 79 people on 26 February, prisoners were denied adequate healthcare, 119 people on 28 September, and 62 people which led or contributed to at least 56 between 12 and 13 November. Among them deaths in custody. Death sentences were was environmental activist Víctor Guaillas, handed down after grossly unfair trials and sentenced to five years in prison for executions were carried out, including for “sabotage” in connection with the October drug offences. Authorities failed to 2019 protests. The deaths occurred in a adequately investigate or punish sexual and context of overcrowding, neglect and a failure gender-based violence, and introduced to ensure the prison population’s human legislation further undermining women’s 1 rights. rights and autonomy. LGBTI individuals SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS were arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to long prison terms on the basis of their In April, following campaigns and legal sexual orientation or gender identity. proceedings initiated by Ecuadorian human Authorities clamped down on labour strikes, rights and feminist groups, the Constitutional independent unions and workers expressing Court decriminalized abortion where the grievances or criticism. The Covid-19 pregnancy is the result of rape.2 vaccine roll-out was marred by delays in vaccinating those most at risk, among other things. Residents of informal settlements Amnesty International Report 2021/22 152