Advocacy / Egypt
Joint Statement: President Biden's visit has a negative impact on human rights movement in the MENA region
The human rights movement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has paid a heavy price for the unlimited and unconditional support provided by the United Kingdom and United States to repressive governments across the region. The recent visit of US President Joe Biden has reinforced the practice of international relations that prioritises political and economic interests when dealing with repressive governments while turning a blind eye to human rights abuses at the expense of human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience.
Egypt: Twenty human rights organisations call on the Biden administration to withhold military aid to Egypt, in light of egregious human rights violations
The Honorable Antony J. Blinken Secretary of State 2201 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20520 Mr. Jake Sullivan Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. Secretary and Mr. Sullivan,
MENA Rights Group joins a coalition of 28 civil society organisations condeming the continued blocking of Al-Manassa’s website and calling on the Egyptian authorities to lift the blocking of dozens of news websites
The undersigned civil society organizations condemn the blocking by the Egyptian authorities of three links to access the Al-Manassa website within approximately 72 hours, starting from Thursday, 14 July. The blocking occurs as part of a series of continued restrictions on the website, which is one of the few independent news sites operating from inside Egypt.
Egypt: Statements on COP27 imply restricting activism
Egyptian authorities should ease their grip on civic space and uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly to enable a successful climate summit, known as the COP27, in Egypt, 36 organisations said today.
UK Foreign Office must protect its citizens — intervene and #FreeAlaa today
British-Egyptian activist, blogger, and software developer Alaa Abd El-Fattah has been on hunger strike for 53 days now and his situation is deteriorating. Alaa has been recently transferred to the new prison complex in Wadi el-Natrun, but is still on hunger strike, and is yet to receive a consular visit. He continues to ask for a judge to investigate the complaints he and his family have filed over his detention and to communicate with UK lawyers. In a joint statement, MENA Rights group and 28 other human rights NGOs are calling the UK Foreign Office to secure his release and safe transfer to the United Kingdom.
Egypt: End arbitrary detention, free them all
A coalition of 21 human rights organisations calls on Egypt to immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and for defending human rights.
Civil society organisations call on the European Union to withdraw its joint candidacy with Egypt to chair the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum
A coalition of 16 human rights organisations urge the European Union to reconsider and withdraw its joint candidacy with Egypt to pursue chairing the Global Counterterrorism Forum.
Biden administration’s decision to reprogram military aid to Egypt is necessary but insufficient
19 human rights organisations call on the Biden administration to stop economic aids and arms sales to Egypt, as long as the government continues to perpetrate egregious human rights violations.
Egypt: Quash verdicts and stop unfair trials by emergency courts
65 human rights organisations urge the Egyptian authorities to quash the verdicts of seven peaceful dissidents convicted to lengthy prison terms solely in reprisal for the exercise of their fundamental rights and freedoms.
NGOs celebrate release of prisoner of conscience Ramy Shaath and confirm need to mobilise against repression of peaceful activism in Egypt
The undersigned non-governmental organisations celebrate the release of Ramy Shaath, a valiant human rights defender who has inspired many in the Palestinian and Egyptian rights communities with his bravery and courage. His release is a triumph for all his friends, family members, NGOs, parliamentarians and thousands of supporters worldwide; it confirms once again that standing up for human rights and speaking out persistently in the face of injustice can and does make a real difference.