In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, SNHR Director Fadel Abdulghany said the newly announced commission should instead be a unified “truth commission” encompassing all victims under the transitional justice framework.
“These bodies cannot be established by presidential decree,” Abdulghany said. “They require legislation passed by a legislative council, which is essential for establishing legitimacy.”
He emphasized the importance of a clear mandate, broad victim and civil society participation, and legal safeguards to ensure both financial and administrative independence.
“Most crucial is independence from the executive authority,” he said.
Abdulghany also raised concerns about the decree’s language, noting that it grants the head of the commission the power to appoint committee members without specifying any criteria for selection.
“This effectively means the executive branch appoints all members,” he said.
He pointed to a key omission: the decree makes no mention of including civil society organizations, rights groups, or victims’ associations in the process.
