The International Federation for Human Rights’ (FIDH) recently interviewed Bahraini activist Maryam Al-Khawaja about how the European Union (EU) can support civil society in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In the interview, Al-Khawaja stated that the EU could make a meaningful impact by taking a stronger and more consistent approach in calling out…
Today, we celebrate the 69th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – the “Magna Carta” for the fundamental freedoms of humanity. Since its inception, the Declaration has served as a powerful tool and has become the foundation for international law protecting civil society’s ability to improve societies, strengthen democratic values and institutions, and…
On November 22, 2017, a Bahraini appeals court rejected an appeal put forward by Nabeel Rajab, an internationally renowned Bahraini human rights activist and president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR). On July 10, 2017, Rajab was found guilty of “publishing and broadcasting fake news that undermines the prestige of the state,” and…
Egypt: On November 15, 2017, Egypt’s Emergency State Security Misdemeanor Court released the 24 Nubian activists – also known as the Dafoof Detainees – and rescheduled their trial for December 12, 2017. On November 5, 2017, one of the detainees, prominent activist and businessman Gamal Sorour, died from a diabetic coma in detention after authorities…