Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

Political activist Ahmed Douma was amongst those sentenced to life in prison in connection with a protest that took place in December 2011 and was brutally dispersed by police and military forces.

The international community’s response to the current charges leveled against prominent activist Nabeel Rajab has been monumental in denouncing the Criminal Investigations Department and the Bahraini government for their actions.

The United Nations Human Rights Council is being asked by a colation of international NGOs to ensure that the UAE’s anti-terrorism law is not used as a tool to target, imprison, intimidate and impede the work of rights defenders.

Haunted by the toppling of former regimes by popular protest and despite the fact that, since 2011, they have all been brought to power through citizens exercising their right to protest, successive governments have all maintained a hostile view towards peaceful assembly.

While peacefully marching to demand the repeal of Egypt’s protest law and the release of prisoners of conscience, 23 activists were detained and charged on groundless accusations.

This week, a resolution on the importance of protecting human rights online was discussed at the 26th UN Human Rights Council Session in Geneva. Read the oral statement on this resolution led by ARTICLE 19 and supported by several IFEX members.

The harsh sentence handed down in absentia by the Cairo Criminal Court against Alaa Abdel Fattah, Ahmed Abdel Rahman, Wael Metwally and 22 others is a severe violation of the right to a fair trial.

On 22 May 2014, Egyptian security forces raided the Alexandria branch of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) arresting 15 activists, including two minors and two ECESR staff, as well as sexually harassing the women present and confiscating several computers and documents.