Advocacy
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Universal Periodic Review: how to address the current human rights crisis in Algeria? A civil society perspective
March 28, 2023
Following the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, Algeria informed the Human Rights Council of its decision to accept 215 out of the 290 recommendations it had received. We call on Algerian authorities to implement these recommendations. We further call on Algeria to reconsider its stance on the recommendations that were merely noted, especially those pertaining to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, the prohibition of torture, counterterrorism and judiciary independence.
Joint letter – NGOs call on Secretary Blinken to urge Egypt to withdraw its upcoming NGO registration deadline
March 24, 2023
MENA Rights Group joins 20 rights organisations in condemning Egyptian authorities' imposition of a deadline for all NGOs to register in accordance with the draconian 2019 NGO law. We call on Secretary Blinken to urge Egypt to withdraw the deadline.
Open letter: NGOs call on Boeing to urge Saudi Arabia to lift travel bans on peaceful activists
March 23, 2023
MENA Rights Group joins 7 human rights NGOs in sending an open letter to Boeing in light of their latest commercial deals with Saudi Arabia, calling on the latter to lift travel bans on human rights activists.
UN Human Rights Council must hold Saudi Arabia accountable for repression of activists
March 23, 2023
During the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, MENA Rights Group, Right Livelihood and ALQST for Human Rights spoke during the debate on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention. More specifically, we shed light on the increasing repression of human rights defenders and peaceful dissidents in Saudi Arabia.
32 civil society organisations condemn the referral of Mada Masr journalists to trial
March 16, 2023
MENA Rights Group joins a coalition of civil society organisations in calling on Egyptian authorities to drop the charges against three Mada Masr journalists in the context of a crackdown on independent media.
Open letter to the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission: Drop the draft regulation of digital content and protect freedom of expression online
March 15, 2023
MENA Rights Group joins 8 organisations in urging the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission to withdraw a leaked draft Regulation that threatens digital freedom of expression in Iraq.
Also available in French
Joint letter to the Tunisian government: do not extradite human rights defender Zakaria Hannache!
March 14, 2023
MENA Rights Group is joined by 16 human rights organisations in urging the Tunisian government not to extradite human rights defender Zakaria Hannache to Algeria, where he may face human rights abuses such as torture. Hannache is protected from refoulement by his refugee status, and the UN Committee against Torture has reiterated the Tunisian authorities' obligation to respect his international protection.
Solidarity statement with Egyptian poet Galal El Behairy on the 5th anniversary of his arbitrary arrest and his announcement of a hunger strike
March 13, 2023
MENA Rights Group joined 30 human rights organisations in signing a solidarity statement with arbitrarily detained Egyptian poet Galal El Behairy, who recently went on hunger strike. We urge the international community to pressure the Egyptian authorities into immediately and unconditionally releasing him.
Saudi Arabia: End Male Guardianship
March 08, 2023
On International Women's Day, MENA Rights Group joined 7 organisations in calling for the end of male guardianship in Saudi Arabia, which is particularly codified by the Personal Status Law.
Human rights organisations call on the Inter-Parliamentary Union to raise concerns on the human rights situation in Bahrain
March 07, 2023
MENA Rights Group joined 21 human rights organisations in urging parliamentarians to publicly raise concerns on the state of political freedom and human rights in Bahrain during the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in March. We issued a set of recommendations for the Bahraini government to undertake.
Human rights organisations launch "SANID" campaign in solidarity with prisoners of conscience in the UAE
March 02, 2023
MENA Rights Group joins five human rights organisations in launching a campaign in solidarity with detainees in the UAE. The SANID campaign, which stands for "Stand Up for UAE Detainees", began on March 1, 2023, and calls on Emirati authorities to release all prisoners of conscience.
Politically Motivated Extraditions Are Abetting Transnational Repression
March 01, 2023
INTERPOL and the Arab Interior Ministers Council play a major role in abetting transnational repression, illustrated by recent cases of politically motivated extraditions.