Human rights groups on Tuesday urged Indonesia to investigate suspected arms sales by&nbsp;state-owned companies to&nbsp;Myanmar, where Indonesia has been trying to promote reconciliation since a 2021 military coup triggered widespread conflict.

Groups filed a complaint with Indonesia's national human rights commission on Monday alleging that three&nbsp;state-owned arms&nbsp;makers&nbsp;had been selling equipment to&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;since the coup, according to Feri Amsari, a legal adviser to the&nbsp;activists.

Myanmar&nbsp;has been racked by violence since the military overthrew a government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi more than two years ago.

The group that drew up the complaint includes two&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;organisations, the Chin Human Rights Organisation and&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;Accountability Project, and Marzuki Darusman, a former&nbsp;Indonesian&nbsp;attorney general and rights advocate.

They allege in their complaint that&nbsp;Indonesian&nbsp;state&nbsp;arms manufacturer PT Pindad,&nbsp;state&nbsp;ship maker PT PAL and aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia had supplied equipment to&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;via a&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;company called True North, which they said was owned by the son of a minister in the military government.

PT Pindad and PT PAL did not immediately respond to a request for comment. PT Pindad's director told media earlier that it had not sold products to&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;since 2016.

PT Dirgantara Indonesia said it had never had a contract with&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;or related third party.

True North did not immediately respond to request for comment but an undated company profile seen by Reuters showed that it identified the three&nbsp;Indonesian&nbsp;arms manufacturers as "strategic partners".

The&nbsp;activists&nbsp;said&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;had bought various items from the companies, including pistols, assault rifles and combat vehicles.

As chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Indonesia has been trying with few signs of success to engage with both&nbsp;Myanmar's military and opposition in the hope of facilitating talks.

Indonesia voted in favour of a U.N. General Assembly Resolution calling "on all UN member&nbsp;states to prevent the flow of arms to&nbsp;Myanmar" after the coup.

A spokesperson for Indonesia's foreign ministry said it was studying the complaint. A defence ministry spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Darusman said the rights commission, known as Komnas HAM, was obliged to investigate given that&nbsp;state-owned firms are subject to government control and oversight.

The UN special rapporteur on&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;reported in May that&nbsp;Myanmar's military had imported at least $1 billion worth of arms and related material since the coup, largely from Russia, China, Singapore, Thailand and India.

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Human rights groups on Tuesday urged Indonesia to investigate suspected arms sales by state-owned companies to Myanmar, where Indonesia has been trying to promote reconciliation since a 2021 military coup triggered widespread conflict.

Human rights groups on Tuesday urged Indonesia to investigate suspected arms sales by state-owned companies to Myanmar, where Indonesia has been trying to promote reconciliation since a 2021 military coup triggered widespread conflict. Groups filed a complaint with Indonesia's national human rights commission on Monday alleging that three state-owned arms makers had been selling equipment to Myanmar since the coup, according to Feri Amsari, a legal adviser to the activists. Myanmar has been racked by violence since the military overthrew a government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi more than two years ago. The group that drew up the complaint includes two Myanmar organisations, the Chin Human Rights Organisation and Myanmar Accountability Project, and Marzuki Darusman, a former Indonesian attorney general and rights advocate. They allege in their complaint that Indonesian state arms manufacturer PT Pindad, state ship maker PT PAL and aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia had supplied equipment to Myanmar via a Myanmar company called True North, which they said was owned by the son of a minister in the military government. PT Pindad and PT PAL did not immediately respond to a request for comment. PT Pindad's director told media earlier that it had not sold products to Myanmar since 2016. PT Dirgantara Indonesia said it had never had a contract with Myanmar or related third party. True North did not immediately respond to request for comment but an undated company profile seen by Reuters showed that it identified the three Indonesian arms manufacturers as "strategic partners". The activists said Myanmar had bought various items from the companies, including pistols, assault rifles and combat vehicles. As chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Indonesia has been trying with few signs of success to engage with both Myanmar's military and opposition in the hope of facilitating talks. Indonesia voted in favour of a U.N. General Assembly Resolution calling "on all UN member states to prevent the flow of arms to Myanmar" after the coup. A spokesperson for Indonesia's foreign ministry said it was studying the complaint. A defence ministry spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Darusman said the rights commission, known as Komnas HAM, was obliged to investigate given that state-owned firms are subject to government control and oversight. The UN special rapporteur on Myanmar reported in May that Myanmar's military had imported at least $1 billion worth of arms and related material since the coup, largely from Russia, China, Singapore, Thailand and India. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Activists say Indonesian state weapons makers supplying Myanmar

One of Russia's oldest and most reputed human rights organisations is closing after a court order, reported Interfax on Friday (August 18).&nbsp;

The court ruled for the shutdown of the Sakharov Center, established to commemorate Soviet dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov. The group had been a significant hub for exhibitions and discussions related to human rights since its inception in 1996.

Interfax reported that the Justice Ministry had taken legal action to close the group, citing alleged "systematic gross and irremediable violations of the law.”

These allegations were levelled after the group staged an exhibition about Sakharov in those parts of the country where it did not have any branch.

Additionally, the organisation faced accusations of sharing videos without the required "foreign agent" label, as mandated under Russian laws.

<h2>Response from the Sakharov Center</h2>

The Moscow City Court granted approval to the Justice Ministry's request of closing down the group on Friday. The Sakharov Center, however, denied the alleged violations, asserting that it would persist in its efforts.&nbsp;

Sergei Lukashevsky, the centre's director, expressed his dismay over the decision, highlighting the contradiction between present events and the ideals Sakharov had fought for.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Lukashevsky remarked, "It's disheartening, yet it mirrors reality. The public commission on Sakharov's legacy and the contemporary Russian Federation cannot coexist...And everything that is happening today is exactly the opposite of what Sakharov fought for.”

Watch:&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian father-son duo enrolled in same brigade

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“We will continue our work. The legacy does not belong to the regime, but to the people. It belongs to all of us," he added.

<h2>Previous cases of state's hostility against the group</h2>

Earlier this spring, the centre declared the closure of its central Moscow premises after receiving an eviction order from city authorities. The reason for this decision, according to official authorities, was the centre's designation as a "foreign agent," which prohibits it from receiving state support under Russian law.&nbsp;

The Sakharov Center contended that the order was driven by the Kremlin's intention to dismantle "independent organizations that defend the public interest."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-approves-sending-f-16-jets-to-ukraine-from-denmark-and-netherlands-626571">Also read:&nbsp;US approves sending F-16 jets to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands</a>

This development follows a broader clampdown on dissent within Russia, which has escalated since the invasion of Ukraine. The last few months have witnessed unprecedented pressure on independent journalists and human rights advocates.

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One of Russia's oldest and most reputed human rights organisations is closing after a court order, reported Interfax on Friday (August 18). The court ruled for the shutdown of the Sakharov Center, established to commemorate Soviet dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov.

One of Russia's oldest and most reputed human rights organisations is closing after a court order, reported Interfax on Friday (August 18). The court ruled for the shutdown of the Sakharov Center, established to commemorate Soviet dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov. The group had been a significant hub for exhibitions and discussions related to human rights since its inception in 1996. Interfax reported that the Justice Ministry had taken legal action to close the group, citing alleged "systematic gross and irremediable violations of the law.” These allegations were levelled after the group staged an exhibition about Sakharov in those parts of the country where it did not have any branch. Additionally, the organisation faced accusations of sharing videos without the required "foreign agent" label, as mandated under Russian laws. Response from the Sakharov Center The Moscow City Court granted approval to the Justice Ministry's request of closing down the group on Friday. The Sakharov Center, however, denied the alleged violations, asserting that it would persist in its efforts. Sergei Lukashevsky, the centre's director, expressed his dismay over the decision, highlighting the contradiction between present events and the ideals Sakharov had fought for. In a Facebook post on Friday, Lukashevsky remarked, "It's disheartening, yet it mirrors reality. The public commission on Sakharov's legacy and the contemporary Russian Federation cannot coexist...And everything that is happening today is exactly the opposite of what Sakharov fought for.” Watch: Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian father-son duo enrolled in same brigade × “We will continue our work. The legacy does not belong to the regime, but to the people. It belongs to all of us," he added. Previous cases of state's hostility against the group Earlier this spring, the centre declared the closure of its central Moscow premises after receiving an eviction order from city authorities. The reason for this decision, according to official authorities, was the centre's designation as a "foreign agent," which prohibits it from receiving state support under Russian law. The Sakharov Center contended that the order was driven by the Kremlin's intention to dismantle "independent organizations that defend the public interest." Also read: US approves sending F-16 jets to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands This development follows a broader clampdown on dissent within Russia, which has escalated since the invasion of Ukraine. The last few months have witnessed unprecedented pressure on independent journalists and human rights advocates. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Russian court orders closure of reputed human rights group for violating law

Aung San&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;remains&nbsp;Myanmar&#39;s&nbsp;best&nbsp;hope&nbsp;for change, veteran US&nbsp;mediator Bill&nbsp;Richardson&nbsp;said on Friday, days after he got into a fight with the Nobel laureate and quite an international panel advising her government on the Rohingya crisis.

Richardson&nbsp;said&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;- whom he described as a long-time friend - had developed a &quot;siege mentality&quot; in her position as&nbsp;Myanmar&#39;s&nbsp;State Counsellor, the country&#39;s civilian leader, but added that Western governments should continue to engage with her.

&quot;The relationship with the West, with human rights groups, with the United Nations, with the international media is terrible,&quot; he told Reuters by phone from New Mexico on Friday.

&quot;And I think Aung San&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;has brought this upon herself, the constant disparagement of the international community, which I think can be helpful to her ... She seems isolated. She doesn&#39;t travel much into the country. I think she&#39;s developed a classic bubble.&quot;

Richardson&nbsp;said he resigned from the advisory board on Wednesday, during its first visit to troubled Rakhine State, saying it was conducting a &quot;whitewash&quot;.&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&#39;s office said on Thursday her government had asked&nbsp;Richardson&nbsp;to step down and accused him of pursuing &quot;his own agenda&quot;.

Suu&nbsp;Kyi&#39;s government said on Friday it did not want discuss the details of the exchange between Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;and&nbsp;Richardson&nbsp;any further.

Around 688,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Rakhine to Bangladesh in recent months to escape an army crackdown following insurgent attacks on security forces.

&quot;I think the Myanmar military is to blame a lot and the only person that can turn them around, I believe, is Aung San&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi, and she should start doing that,&quot; said&nbsp;Richardson, a former US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations under President Bill Clinton who has also worked as a mediator with North Korea.

Richardson&nbsp;said he had informed the US&nbsp;ambassador in Yangon and the State Department of his intention to resign but had not sought their guidance.

Richardson&nbsp;said that before his trip to Myanmar, he spoke to US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who visited the country in November. &quot;He called me and gave me a briefing on his visit and that was all,&quot; he told Reuters in a separate television interview.

A State Department spokesman said he could not immediately confirm details of&nbsp;Richardson&#39;s contacts.

Furious Argument

A statement on Thursday from the nine remaining members of the advisory board said they met this week &quot;with open minds&quot; and rejected&nbsp;Richardson&#39;s criticism that he feared the panel would be used as &quot;a cheerleading squad&quot;.

Richardson&nbsp;said&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&#39;s response at a Monday night dinner was &quot;furious&quot; when he brought up the case of two Reuters reporters, who were arrested on Dec. 12 on suspicion of violatingMyanmar&#39;s&nbsp;Official Secrets Act.

&quot;She was very angry with me when I raised releasing the journalists, giving them a fair trial,&quot; he said.

&quot;She was upset when I said there should be an investigation of the mass-graves issue, that they had to increase their international support for the treatment of the Rohingyas, the terrible refugee crisis. She exploded. She was very unhappy, and it shows that she didn&#39;t want to hear frank advice.&quot;

Her office said it would not be commenting further on the exchange.

&quot;We already published a statement and also the advisory board published a statement. The judge will decide whether the journalists committed the crime or not. It is Contempt of Court. Even in America, they wouldn&#39;t involve themselves in a case while the case is ongoing in a court hearing,&quot; said Zaw Htay,&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&#39;s spokesman.&nbsp;

Reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, had worked on Reuters coverage of the crisis in Rakhine.

Richardson&nbsp;said it was important for Western governments, the United Nations and&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;to enter into a new dialogue &quot;to try to help each other, not to keep fighting each other&quot; before any thoughts of new sanctions on Myanmar.

&quot;What we don&#39;t want is to have Aung San&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;just listen to ASEAN countries, China or Russia. They need engagement with the West. We&#39;re all former friends. She needs to change, and perhaps the West needs to give her another chance and not impose sanctions.&quot;

Myanmar&#39;s&nbsp;armed forces have been accused by Rohingya witnesses and human rights activists of carrying out killings, rapes and arson in Rakhine in a campaign senior officials in the United Nations and United States have described as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar rejects that label and has denied nearly all the allegations.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed earlier this month to complete the voluntary repatriation of all the refugees. The remaining members of the advisory board on Wednesday toured temporary camps the government has set up for returnees.

Richardson&nbsp;said he did not believe conditions were yet right for the repatriation process to begin.

&quot;I believe that the Myanmar government has emphasised speed instead of systems,&quot; he said. &quot;There&#39;s been too much emphasis on quick results rather than assuring that safety is guaranteed.&quot;

Richardson said he resigned from the advisory board on Wednesday, during its first visit to troubled Rakhine State

Aung San Suu Kyi remains Myanmar's best hope for change, veteran US mediator Bill Richardson said on Friday, days after he got into a fight with the Nobel laureate and quite an international panel advising her government on the Rohingya crisis. Richardson said Suu Kyi - whom he described as a long-time friend - had developed a "siege mentality" in her position as Myanmar's State Counsellor, the country's civilian leader, but added that Western governments should continue to engage with her. "The relationship with the West, with human rights groups, with the United Nations, with the international media is terrible," he told Reuters by phone from New Mexico on Friday. "And I think Aung San Suu Kyi has brought this upon herself, the constant disparagement of the international community, which I think can be helpful to her ... She seems isolated. She doesn't travel much into the country. I think she's developed a classic bubble." Richardson said he resigned from the advisory board on Wednesday, during its first visit to troubled Rakhine State, saying it was conducting a "whitewash". Suu Kyi's office said on Thursday her government had asked Richardson to step down and accused him of pursuing "his own agenda". Suu Kyi's government said on Friday it did not want discuss the details of the exchange between Suu Kyi and Richardson any further. Around 688,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Rakhine to Bangladesh in recent months to escape an army crackdown following insurgent attacks on security forces. "I think the Myanmar military is to blame a lot and the only person that can turn them around, I believe, is Aung San Suu Kyi, and she should start doing that," said Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations under President Bill Clinton who has also worked as a mediator with North Korea. Richardson said he had informed the US ambassador in Yangon and the State Department of his intention to resign but had not sought their guidance. Richardson said that before his trip to Myanmar, he spoke to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who visited the country in November. "He called me and gave me a briefing on his visit and that was all," he told Reuters in a separate television interview. A State Department spokesman said he could not immediately confirm details of Richardson's contacts. Furious Argument A statement on Thursday from the nine remaining members of the advisory board said they met this week "with open minds" and rejected Richardson's criticism that he feared the panel would be used as "a cheerleading squad". Richardson said Suu Kyi's response at a Monday night dinner was "furious" when he brought up the case of two Reuters reporters, who were arrested on Dec. 12 on suspicion of violatingMyanmar's Official Secrets Act. "She was very angry with me when I raised releasing the journalists, giving them a fair trial," he said. "She was upset when I said there should be an investigation of the mass-graves issue, that they had to increase their international support for the treatment of the Rohingyas, the terrible refugee crisis. She exploded. She was very unhappy, and it shows that she didn't want to hear frank advice." Her office said it would not be commenting further on the exchange. "We already published a statement and also the advisory board published a statement. The judge will decide whether the journalists committed the crime or not. It is Contempt of Court. Even in America, they wouldn't involve themselves in a case while the case is ongoing in a court hearing," said Zaw Htay, Suu Kyi's spokesman. Reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, had worked on Reuters coverage of the crisis in Rakhine. Richardson said it was important for Western governments, the United Nations and Suu Kyi to enter into a new dialogue "to try to help each other, not to keep fighting each other" before any thoughts of new sanctions on Myanmar. "What we don't want is to have Aung San Suu Kyi just listen to ASEAN countries, China or Russia. They need engagement with the West. We're all former friends. She needs to change, and perhaps the West needs to give her another chance and not impose sanctions." Myanmar's armed forces have been accused by Rohingya witnesses and human rights activists of carrying out killings, rapes and arson in Rakhine in a campaign senior officials in the United Nations and United States have described as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar rejects that label and has denied nearly all the allegations. Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed earlier this month to complete the voluntary repatriation of all the refugees. The remaining members of the advisory board on Wednesday toured temporary camps the government has set up for returnees. Richardson said he did not believe conditions were yet right for the repatriation process to begin. "I believe that the Myanmar government has emphasised speed instead of systems," he said. "There's been too much emphasis on quick results rather than assuring that safety is guaranteed."

Aung Suu Kyi remains Myanmar's best hope: US mediator Bill Richardson

Myanmar authorities must investigate a video showing men in military uniforms viciously beating handcuffed detainees suspected of being ethnic rebel fighters, rights groups said Sunday.

The video&#39;s emergence comes as negotiators from the civilian-led government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the military hold peace talks with more than a dozen ethnic rebel groups in the capital, aimed at ending some of the world&#39;s longest running civil wars.

The unverified video first surfaced on Facebook on Saturday morning and quickly went viral.

It showed several men dressed in army uniform kicking three handcuffed men in civilian clothes, part of a wider group of people detained outside some rural houses.&nbsp;

At one point in the 17-minute long video, a uniformed man smashes his helmet into the face of one of the victims.

The uniformed men can be heard asking the handcuffed detainees whether they belong to the Ta&#39;ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic rebel group from north-eastern Shan State currently fighting the military.

Rights groups called on Myanmar&#39;s government to investigate whether troops were responsible.&nbsp;

&quot;The Myanmar authorities should immediately investigate this footage, and with urgency the authority should determine the well-being and whereabouts of the men detained in the footage,&quot; said Matthew Smith from Fortify Rights.

Myanmar&#39;s border regions have burned for decades with insurgencies led by ethnic minority militias fighting for greater autonomy.&nbsp;

Suu Kyi has made signing a nationwide peace deal a priority of her government with the latest round of peace talks currently underway in Naypyidaw.&nbsp;

But the peace process has had limited success so far.

Under Myanmar&#39;s junta-era constitution Suu Kyi has little control over the military and fighting between the army and ethnic rebels is currently at its most ferocious in years.

After decades of crippling junta rule, distrust of Myanmar&#39;s notoriously abusive military runs deep, especially among ethnic rebel groups.

&quot;These kinds of beatings and abuse are all too common,&quot; Phil Robertson from Human Rights Watch told AFP.

&quot;That&#39;s a major reason why many of the ethnic armed groups are reluctant to place any trust in the Myanmar army&#39;s promises,&quot; he said.

Robertson said Suu Kyi should &quot;publicly condemn these abuses and demand an independent investigation&quot;.

The Nobel laureate has repeatedly defended the army&#39;s operations in western Rakhine state where tens of thousands of Muslim minority Rohingya have fled a recent military crackdown.&nbsp;

The UN says authorities may have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing in the crackdown but Suu Kyi has rejected calls for an independent fact finding commission.

Last week Myanmar&#39;s military said its own probe had found no evidence of atrocities committed by its troops in Rakhine -- although it said one soldier was punished for stealing a bike.

(AFP)

The unverified video shows men in military uniforms viciously beating handcuffed detainees suspected of being ethnic rebel fighters

Myanmar authorities must investigate a video showing men in military uniforms viciously beating handcuffed detainees suspected of being ethnic rebel fighters, rights groups said Sunday. The video's emergence comes as negotiators from the civilian-led government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the military hold peace talks with more than a dozen ethnic rebel groups in the capital, aimed at ending some of the world's longest running civil wars. The unverified video first surfaced on Facebook on Saturday morning and quickly went viral. It showed several men dressed in army uniform kicking three handcuffed men in civilian clothes, part of a wider group of people detained outside some rural houses. At one point in the 17-minute long video, a uniformed man smashes his helmet into the face of one of the victims. The uniformed men can be heard asking the handcuffed detainees whether they belong to the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic rebel group from north-eastern Shan State currently fighting the military. Rights groups called on Myanmar's government to investigate whether troops were responsible. "The Myanmar authorities should immediately investigate this footage, and with urgency the authority should determine the well-being and whereabouts of the men detained in the footage," said Matthew Smith from Fortify Rights. Myanmar's border regions have burned for decades with insurgencies led by ethnic minority militias fighting for greater autonomy. Suu Kyi has made signing a nationwide peace deal a priority of her government with the latest round of peace talks currently underway in Naypyidaw. But the peace process has had limited success so far. Under Myanmar's junta-era constitution Suu Kyi has little control over the military and fighting between the army and ethnic rebels is currently at its most ferocious in years. After decades of crippling junta rule, distrust of Myanmar's notoriously abusive military runs deep, especially among ethnic rebel groups. "These kinds of beatings and abuse are all too common," Phil Robertson from Human Rights Watch told AFP. "That's a major reason why many of the ethnic armed groups are reluctant to place any trust in the Myanmar army's promises," he said. Robertson said Suu Kyi should "publicly condemn these abuses and demand an independent investigation". The Nobel laureate has repeatedly defended the army's operations in western Rakhine state where tens of thousands of Muslim minority Rohingya have fled a recent military crackdown. The UN says authorities may have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing in the crackdown but Suu Kyi has rejected calls for an independent fact finding commission. Last week Myanmar's military said its own probe had found no evidence of atrocities committed by its troops in Rakhine -- although it said one soldier was punished for stealing a bike. (AFP)

Myanmar must investigate 'army beating' video: Rights groups

An Egyptian court on Saturday froze assets of five prominent human rights defenders and three non-governmental organisations. 
 
There has been a renewed interest in the five-year-old case that alleged the NGOs received foreign funds to sow chaos and destabilise the country. 
 
The trial has threatened a diplomatic crisis between Washington and Cairo.&nbsp; 
 
An investigating magistrate had ordered the asset freezes in February, but they were subject to court approval.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We know from the start the case is political and the aim is revenge against NGOs that expose the state&#39;s abuses,&quot; said Gamal Eid, founder and director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information whose assets were frozen. 
 
Rights groups say it is a wider campaign to silence human rights activism. 
 
European Union External Action Service criticised the decision, &quot;The increased pressure on independent Egyptian civil society, in particular human rights organisations and defenders, is not in line with Egypt&#39;s commitments to promote and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms as guaranteed by its Constitution.&quot; 
 
The court&#39;s decision is a &quot;reprehensible blow to Egypt&#39;s human rights movement&quot;, the London-based Amnesty International said in a statement. 
 
New York-based Human Rights Watch also deplored the decision. 
 
&quot;Egyptian authorities are single-mindedly pushing for the elimination of the country&#39;s most prominent independent human rights defenders,&quot; it quoted its Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. 
 
This decision paves the way for criminal proceedings against the defendants that could also lead to life sentences. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Activists say Egypt's crackdown on human rights groups is a wider campaign to erase freedoms and silence civil society

An Egyptian court on Saturday froze assets of five prominent human rights defenders and three non-governmental organisations. There has been a renewed interest in the five-year-old case that alleged the NGOs received foreign funds to sow chaos and destabilise the country. The trial has threatened a diplomatic crisis between Washington and Cairo. An investigating magistrate had ordered the asset freezes in February, but they were subject to court approval. "We know from the start the case is political and the aim is revenge against NGOs that expose the state's abuses," said Gamal Eid, founder and director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information whose assets were frozen. Rights groups say it is a wider campaign to silence human rights activism. European Union External Action Service criticised the decision, "The increased pressure on independent Egyptian civil society, in particular human rights organisations and defenders, is not in line with Egypt's commitments to promote and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms as guaranteed by its Constitution." The court's decision is a "reprehensible blow to Egypt's human rights movement", the London-based Amnesty International said in a statement. New York-based Human Rights Watch also deplored the decision. "Egyptian authorities are single-mindedly pushing for the elimination of the country's most prominent independent human rights defenders," it quoted its Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. This decision paves the way for criminal proceedings against the defendants that could also lead to life sentences. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Egypt court freezes assets of human rights defenders, NGOs