United Kingdom

IFEX joins rights groups urging the UN to act on the case of the British-Egyptian activist, who remains detained despite completing his sentence.

On 29 September, when Alaa’s five-year sentence came to an end, the Egyptian authorities did not release him, refusing to consider the two years he spent in pre-trial detention as “time served”.

“It is a profound disgrace for Egypt to silence such a vital voice of conscience behind bars.”

“We are hugely relieved that Julian Assange is finally free – a long overdue victory for journalism and press freedom. He never should have spent a single day deprived of his liberty for publishing information in the public interest” – RSF

Ahead of the UK’s general election on 4 July, ARTICLE 19 outlines key policy areas for the incoming government to set free expression priorities.

Assange will be allowed to appeal on two of nine grounds his legal team put forward at a hearing in February, both related to the possibility that, as an Australian citizen, he could be denied free speech protections afforded by the First Amendment.

“Germany should immediately explain why it has denied Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah entry and imposed this far-reaching ban on a leading health professional to speak in Berlin, Paris, and The Hague about what he witnessed in Gaza” – HRW

“Iranian journalists working in London have long lived under the shadow of a potential attack, but for this to happen in a residential street in broad daylight is deeply shocking” – RSF

If the US fails to provide proper assurances that Assange will be able to rely on First Amendment rights, and that he will not be subjected to the death penalty, the Wikileaks publisher will be granted permission to appeal his extradition.

Rights groups call on UK government to reverse its crackdown on the right to protest and stop conflating protests with extremism.

PEN International, English PEN and PEN Norway once again urge the UK authorities to stop the extradition of Assange and call on the US authorities to drop the charges against him and withdraw their extradition request.

Ahead of the upcoming UK High Court hearing in the extradition proceedings against Julian Assange, Reporters Without Borders examines 12 of the common misconceptions about the US government’s case against him.

GCHR calls on authorities to stop targeting Al-Khalidi immediately and to drop all sentences issued against him.

The prominent activist has spent much of the past decade imprisoned in Egypt for his writing and activism.