A/HRC/43/2 832. All recommendations on capacity-building and enhancing human rights culture were accepted. Egypt expressed enthusiasm to cooperate with OHCHR, as per their agreement in 2018. 833. National legislation is rife with fair trial guarantees. Egypt is committed to respecting the separation of powers, and to strengthening the independence of the judiciary, as primary assurances for protecting human rights. Culprits of the same crime are tried together, but there are no mass sentences. Alternatives to pre-trial detention are applied. Egypt accepted all recommendations on the judicial procedures and guarantees, except for the factually incorrect. 834. The death penalty is imposed, similar to many countries worldwide, for the most serious crimes, consistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Guarantees are in place to carefully balance the rights of society and the individual right to life, ensuring all fair trial standards and protection from violations or ill-treatment. Verdicts are automatically reviewed by the higher court, according to the Constitution and law. 835. Many controls exist to prevent torture, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, which constitutionally form imprescriptible crimes. The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners are all observed. All detention facilities are subject to supervision by the Public Prosecution, which immediately investigates allegations to verify their accuracy, hold the perpetrators accountable, combat impunity and protect victims. 836. Imposing corporal punishment on children is outlawed in all circumstances. The Child Law ordains the commutation of sentences, and prohibits imposing the death penalty, or life and aggravated imprisonment, on children. Only minors over 15 years old are tried alongside adults, if they partake in the same criminal offence. However, the Child Law safeguards are still applicable to them. Sentences of the court of the first instance may be appealed before the higher court. 837. Given the significant role of the family, and its entitlement to protection under international human rights law, Egypt declared 2017 as the Year for Women, 2018 for Persons with Disabilities, and 2019 for Youth. Programmes were launched to empower them. Thus, all related recommendations were accepted, except one. 838. Egypt is determined to continue its steadfast efforts to advance the status of women. Several laws were introduced to realise their equitable rights. The House of Representatives is currently considering a bill to amend the Personal Status Law. 839. Egypt accepted recommendations on civil and political rights, all but five. The law ensures the protection of all individuals, without distinction, based on the principle of citizenship. Hence, there is no need for laws or measures to protect specific individuals or groups. No one is punished for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association or peaceful assembly, but rather for violating the regulatory laws, lest conflicts arise among rights-holders, in line with international human rights law. 840. Laws guarantee the freedom of publishing by notification. They prohibit censoring, confiscating, suspending or closing newspapers and the media, except at times of war or general mobilization. It also ensures the right of journalists and media workers to freely express their opinions, seek and disseminate information, and it protects their sources. Blocking websites may only occur through a justified injunction, in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and may be appealed before the competent court. 841. The Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protests by notification only, deeming it a constitutional right. The relevant law, amended in 2017, disallows preventing, postponing or rerouting demonstrations, except by a court order. A new NGOs Law was recently adopted, after vast consultations with civil society, allowing for establishing nonGE. 129