MENA Rights Group joined a group of civil society organisations in expressing our support for the passage of the S.Res.109 pursuant to Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act. The resolution, initiated by US Senators Chris Murphy and Mike Lee, requests information on human rights violations in Saudi Arabia when discussing foreign aid to the Kingdom.
A trois jours du verdict du procès du journaliste Ihsane El Kadi, arbitrairement détenu depuis plus de trois mois en Algérie, l’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits humains (FIDH-OMCT), EuroMed Droits et MENA Rights Group appellent les autorités algériennes à mettre fin à son harcèlement judiciaire et à le libérer immédiatement. L’Observatoire a dépêché un observateur lors de sa dernière audience, qui a confirmé les atteintes aux droits d’Ihsane El Kadi, ainsi que l’instrumentalisation politique d’une justice à la solde des autorités en place.
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.
During the adoption of the Algeria Universal Period Review outcomes, Algerian human rights defender Kaddour Chouicha spoke directly to the Human Rights Council on behalf of MENA Rights Group, the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), CIVICUS, Euromed Rights and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. He addressed the ongoing crackdown on human rights defenders and civil society organisations.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
