Egypt - Solidarity statement with human rights defender Bahey Eddine Hassan

09/09/2020
Statement
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On 25 August 2020, Bahey Eldin Hassan, a prominent Egyptian human rights defender, and director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) was sentenced in absentia to fifteen years in prison by an Egyptian terrorism court.

This judgment comes in addition to a freezing of his bank assets, the closure of the Center and a sentence in absentia to 3 years in prison and a fine of 20,000 pounds for contempt of court on 19 September 2019. Bahey Eldin Hassan is regularly subjected to defamation campaigns and death threats by newspapers and television stations close to the authorities. For several years now, the Center has had to cease its activities in Egypt while pursuing them outside the country.

For years, and for decades for some of us, we have followed Bahey’s peaceful struggle for human rights in Egypt and other countries in the region and admired his full commitment to justice, respect for fundamental rights, gender equality and fraternity among peoples.

In all our meetings with him, whether academic or activist, we were able to note his sense of dialogue, his ability to listen and his availability for exchange.

By this appeal, we reiterate to him our friendship, admiration, and solidarity.
We join all voices calling for an end to oppression, torture, unfair trials, and the repression of all dissident voices.

Freedom for the people of Egypt.

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  • Co-signatories

    1. Mohamed Ali Ababou, Vice President, Collectif Démocratie et Libertés, Morocco
    2. Houcine Abbassi, former Secretary General of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), Nobel Peace Prize 2015, Tunisia
    3. Ghassan Abdallah, General Director, Palestinian Human Rights Organisation, Lebanon
    4. Hela Abdeljaoued, former President of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD), Tunisia
    5. Karim Abdel Salam, President, Organisation for Justice and Rehabilitation, Tunisia
    6. Ziad Abdel Samad, Executive Director, Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), Lebanon
    7. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, Executive Director, Society for Democratic Initiatives, Sierra Leone 
    8. Fadel Abdul Ghany, Executive Director, Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), Syria
    9. Rinsola Abiola, youth and democracy advocate, Nigeria
    10. Dr. Noha Aboueldahab, Fellow, Brookings Institution, Egypt-Canada
    11. Kamal Abuznad, President, Belady Organisation for Human Rights, Libya
    12. Nicolas Agostini, Representative to the United Nations, DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project), France-Switzerland-Uganda
    13. Najwa Ali Ahammadi, lawyer, Libyan Organisation for Legal Assistance, Libya
    14. Ayad Ahram, President, Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Morocco (ASDHOM), France
    15. Abdessamad Ait Aicha, human rights defender, journalist, Morocco-France
    16. Dr Maria Al Abdeh, CEO, Women Now for Development, Syria-France
    17. Assaad Al Achi, Executive Director, Baytna, Syria
    18. Bassam Alahmad, Executive Director, Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), France-Syria
    19. Wadih Al-Asmar, EuroMed Rights President, Lebanon
    20. Anwar al Bunni, lawyer, Syrian Centre for Legal Studies and Research (SCLSR), Syria-Germany
    21. Rasmus Alenius Boserup, Executive Director, PhD, EuroMed Rights, Denmark
    22. Abdulrasheed Alfaqih, Executive Director, Mwatana for Human Rights, Yemen 
    23. Mohammed Al-Ghattas, human rights defender, Morocco
    24. Abdulrazaq Alkali, Executive Director, Organization for Community Civic Engagement (OCCEN), Nigeria
    25. Dr. Tayseer al Kareem, physician and researcher, Urnammu Centre for Human Rights, Syria
    26. Dr. Isam al Khafaji, writer and social scientist, Iraq-The Netherlands
    27. Tewfik Allal, President, Agir pour le Changement et la Démocratie en Algérie (ACDA), France-Algeria
    28. Radhya Almutawakel, Chairperson, Mwatana for Human Rights, Yemen
    29. Fadi Al-Qadi, human rights strategist and planner, writer, Jordan
    30. Dah Salama Al-Rahmouni, Member, Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights Committed by the Moroccan State (ASVDH), Morocco
    31. Mustapha Kamel Al-Sayyid, Professor of Political Science, Cairo University, Egypt
    32. Maimon Al-Sheikh, Minorities and Marginalized Groups Program, Belady Organisation for Human Rights, Libya
    33. Issandr Amrani, MENA Program Regional Director, Open Society Foundations, Morocco-USA
    34. Andrew Anderson, Executive Director, Front Line Defenders, Ireland
    35. Damian Arabia, Argentina
    36. Lu Argueta, Coordinator of Institutional Affairs, Latin American Youth Network for Democracy, El Salvador
    37. Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, Main Representative to the United Nations, Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), Hong Kong
    38. Essia Atrous, Editor-in-Chief of the daily newspaper Essabah, Tunisia
    39. Emad Attiya, Executive Director, Youth for Tawergha Organisation, Libya
    40. Fateh Azzam, Member, Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights, Palestine
    41. Jalila Baccar, actress, Tunisia
    42. Isaías Barrenada, Professor, Madrid Complutense University, Spain
    43. Sergio Bassoli, Officer International Department, CGIL, Italy
    44. Goma Devi Bastola, President, Rural Women’s Network Nepal (RUWON), Nepal
    45. Kristine Beckerle, Legal Director, Accountability and Redress, Mwatana for Human Rights, Lebanon-USA
    46. Bochra Belhadj Hamida, former Member of Parliament, President of the Commission for Individual Freedoms and Equality (COLIBE), Tunisia
    47. Souhayr Belhassen, Honorary President, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Tunisia
    48. El Habib Belkouch, President, Center for Studies in Human Rights and Democracy (CEDHD), Morocco
    49. Driss Belmahi, academic, Morocco
    50. Sana Ben Achour, professor, jurist, President of Beity association, Tunisia
    51. Said Benarbia, MENA Programme Director, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Morocco-Switzerland
    52. Madjid Benchikh, Professor Emeritus of the University of Cergy-Pontoise (Paris-Val d’Oise), former Dean of the Faculty of Law of Algiers, former President of the Algerian section of Amnesty International, France-Algeria
    53. Nourredine Benissad, President, Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LADDH), Algeria
    54. Dr. Mustapha Benjaafar, former President of the National Constituent Assembly (2011-2014), Tunisia
    55. Naima Benwakrim, women’s rights activist, Morocco
    56. Antoine Bernard, lawyer, independent expert on human rights and international justice, France
    57. Sophie Bessis, writer, journalist, Tunisia
    58. Joseph Bikanda, Coordinator, AfricanDefenders (Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network), Uganda
    59. Ladan Boroumand, Iran
    60. Taoufik Bouderbala, President, High Council for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Tunisia
    61. Rédouane Boudjema, Professor, University of Algiers, Algeria
    62. Saskia Brechenmacher, Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA
    63. Julie Broome, Director, Ariadne, UK
    64. Susanna Camusso, Head International Department, CGIL, Italy
    65. Scott Carpenter, Board Member, National Endowment for Democracy, USA
    66. Ateki S. Caxton, former Chair, African Movement for Democracy, Cameroun
    67. Leila Chafaai, writer, human rights defender, Morocco
    68. Abdelkader Chaoui, writer, Morocco
    69. Khémais Chammari, former Tunisian Ambassador to UNESCO, former Member of Parliament, laureate of the Nuremberg Human Rights Prize, Tunisia
    70. Nejib Chebbi, former Minister of Regional and Local Development, former President of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Tunisia
    71. Mouhieddine Cherbib, President, Comité pour le Respect des Libertés et des Droits de l’Homme en Tunisie (CRLDHT), France-Tunisia
    72. Khadija Cherif, former President of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD), former Secretary-General of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Tunisia
    73. Alya Cherif Chammari, lawyer, feminist activist, Tunisia
    74. Gastón Chillier, Director international area, Center for Legal and Social Studies, Argentina
    75. Kaddour Chouicha, President, University Teachers’ Union, Algeria
    76. Paola Daher, Center for Reproductive Rights, Lebanon
    77. Mazen Darwish, General Director, Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), Syria-France
    78. Yahia Djafri, Secretary-General, NECFA Franco-Algerian Cultural Exchanges, France-Algeria
    79. Cholpon Djakupova, Director of Legal Clinic Adilet, Kyrgyz Republic
    80. Ali Ait Djoudi, President, Riposte Internationale, France
    81. Ivan Djuric, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Serbia
    82. Micaela Hierro Dori, President, Cultura Democrática, Argentina
    83. Michelle Dunne, Director and a Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA
    84. Nassera Dutour, President, Collectif des Familles de Disparu(e)s en Algérie (CFDA), Euro-Mediterranean Federation against Enforced Disappearances (FEMED), Algeria-France
    85. Khaled Elbalshy, journalist, Egypt
    86. Salma El Hosseiny, Human Rights Council Manager, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Egypt
    87. Driss El Yazami, journalist, Morocco
    88. Mohamed Essebar, lawyer, Morocco
    89. Houria Esslami, former Chair of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID), Morocco
    90. Sanna Eriksson, Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York, UK
    91. Khalil Ezzaouia, human rights activist, former Minister of Social Affairs, Tunisia
    92. Khaled Fahmy, Professor, Cambridge University, UK
    93. Intissar Fakir, Fellow and Editor, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA 
    94. Jeffrey Feltman, former United Nations Under Secretary General for Political Affairs and former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, USA
    95. Frej Fenniche, former official of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Tunisia
    96. Niccolò A. Figà-Talamanca, Secretary General, No Peace Without Justice, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    97. Jean-Pierre Filiu, Professor, Sciences Po (Paris), France
    98. Ezzedine C. Fishere, writer, Egypt
    99. Hannah Forster, Executive Director, African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), The Gambia
    100. Yosra Frawes, President, Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD), Tunisia
    101. Saida Garrach, feminist activist, former Spokesperson for the Presidency of the Republic, Tunisia
    102. Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), USA
    103. Burhan Ghalioun, academician, writer, France-Syria
    104. Andrew Gilmour, former UN Assistant Secretary-General, UK
    105. Eric Goldstein, MENA Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch, USA
    106. Terry Greenblatt, Senior Advisor, Ploughshares Fund, USA
    107. Alain Gresh, journalist, France
    108. Abdellatif Hamamouchi, journalist, Board Member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), Morocco
    109. Sune Haugbølle, Professor (MSO), Roskilde University, Denmark
    110. Abderrahmane Hedhili, President, Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), Tunisia
    111. Ahmad Helmi, Taafi, Turkey
    112. Brigitte Herremans, researcher, Ghent University, Belgium
    113. Steven Heydemann, Ketcham Chair in Middle East Studies, Smith College, USA
    114. Joost R. Hiltermann, Belgium
    115. Amy Austin Holmes, Ph.D., Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and former Associate Professor at the American University in Cairo, USA
    116. Mahmoud Hussein, writer, France-Egypt
    117. Cynthia Ibale, human rights lawyer, Uganda
    118. Khalid Ibrahim, Executive Director, Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), Iraq-Lebanon
    119. Marion Isvi, Executive Director, Euromed France Network (REF), France
    120. Samson Itodo, YIAGA Africa, Nigeria
    121. Shawan Jabarin, General Director, Alhaq, Palestine
    122. Fadhel Jaibi, Director, National Theatre, Tunisia
    123. Abderrahim Jamai, former President of the Bar Association, Coordinator of the Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty, Morocco
    124. Bidal James, Coordinator, South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network, South Sudan
    125. Mohamed Sghir Janjar, Director of the journal Prologues, Morocco
    126. Adil Jazouli, sociologist, France-Morocco
    127. Kamel Jendoubi, human rights activist, former Minister in charge of relations with constitutional bodies, civil society and human rights, Tunisia-France
    128. Ryota Jonan, Director, World Movement for Democracy, USA
    129. Salma Kahale, Executive Director, Dawlaty, Syria
    130. Ahmed Karaoud, former President of Amnesty International, Tunisia
    131. Hisham Kassem, former Chair of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, Egypt
    132. Kristina Kausch, senior political analyst, Germany
    133. Salam Kawakibi, political scientist, France-Syria
    134. Kalthoum Kennou, judge, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Commissioner, Tunisia
    135. Rachid Khechana, journalist, Tunisia
    136. Abdelmoumene Khelil, Secretary General, Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LADDH), Algeria
    137. Rami Khouri, journalist, analyst, Palestine
    138. Eberhard Kienle, Research Director, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France
    139. Michel Kilo, writer, Syria
    140. Morten Kjaerum, former Director of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, Denmark
    141. Bassma Kodmani, scholar, academic, activist, Syria-France
    142. Mousa Issa Hassan Kori, Education and Awareness Program, Aman Organisation Against Discrimination, Libya
    143. Hatem Kotrane, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences of Tunis, former member and Vice-Chairman of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Tunisia
    144. Aziz Krichen, former Minister Advisor to the President of the Republic, Tunisia
    145. Ricardo Morales Kuhn, President, Latin American Youth Network for Democracy, Mexico
    146. Abdellatif Laâbi, writer, Morocco
    147. Youssef Laaraj, researcher and NGO actor, Morocco
    148. Kamel Labidi, President, Association Vigilance, Tunisia
    149. Kamal Lahbib, President, Moroccan Observatory of Public Freedoms, Morocco
    150. Latifa Lakhdhar, former Minister of Cultural Affairs, Tunisia
    151. Tarik Khalil Lamloum, Director, Belady Organisation for Human Rights, Libya
    152. Boubekeur Largou, President, Moroccan Organisation for Human Rights (OMDH), Morocco
    153. Amina Lemrini, academic, Morocco
    154. Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Research and Advocacy Director, Amnesty International, UK
    155. Philip Lynch, Director, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Switzerland
    156. Me Fadhel Mahfoudh, former Minister of Human Rights, former President of the Bar Association, Nobel Peace Prize 2015, Tunisia
    157. Lisa Majumdar, Advocacy Officer, CIVICUS, Switzerland
    158. Rachid Malaoui, President of the National Autonomous Trade Union of Public Servants (SNAPAP) and the Autonomous General Confederation of Workers in Algeria (CGATA), Algeria
    159. Ian Martin, former Secretary General of Amnesty International, UK
    160. Gustave Massiah, Network Initiatives For Another World (IPAM), France
    161. Elisa Massimino, Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Chair in Human Rights, Georgetown University Law Center, USA
    162. Jonathan Maza, Executive Secretary, Latin American Youth Network for Democracy, Mexico
    163. Jaouad Mdidech, writer, Morocco
    164. Hanny Megally, Senior Fellow, Centre on International Cooperation, New York University, Egypt-USA
    165. Tuomo Melasua, Professor Emeritus, Finland
    166. Juan Mendez, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Argentina
    167. Christine M. Merkel, Head of Department for Culture and Communication (Memory of the World), German Commission for UNESCO, Germany
    168. Alice Mogwe, President, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Botswana
    169. Shadi Mokhtari, Assistant Professor, American University, USA
    170. Maâti Monjib, historian, President of the association Freedom Now, Morocco
    171. Andrea Villamil Mosquera, National President, Asociación de la Escuela de Liderazgo (ASOBEL), Ecuador
    172. Abdelsattar Moussa, former President of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH), former President of the Bar Association, Nobel Peace Prize 2015, Tunisia
    173. Driss Moussaoui, psychiatrist, Morocco
    174. Jamel Msallem, President, Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH), Tunisia
    175. Rabéa Naciri, Professor, Morocco
    176. Alice Nah, Lecturer, Department of Politics, University of York, UK
    177. Jamal Eddine Naji, academic, Morocco-Canada
    178. Habib Nassar, lawyer, Director of Policy and Research, Impunity Watch, Lebanon-The Netherlands
    179. Cilina Nasser, MENA researcher, Lebanon-UK
    180. Mohamed Neshnesh, former President of the Moroccan Organisation for Human Rights (OMDH), Morocco
    181. Maximilienne C. Ngo Mbe, Executive Director, Network of Human Rights Defenders of Central Africa (REDHAC), Cameroon
    182. Dr Lutz Oette, Director, Centre for Human Rights Law, SOAS, University of London, UK
    183. Nicholas Opiyo, Founder and Executive Director, Chapter Four Uganda, Uganda
    184. Adolfo Cortezao Oquero, Latin American Youth Network for Democracy, Peru
    185. Marina Ottaway, USA
    186. Fatsah Ouguergouz, judge, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Commissioner, Algeria
    187. Ahmed Ounaies, Ambassador of Tunisia, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tunisia
    188. Michelle Pace, Professor of Global Studies, Roskilde University, Denmark
    189. Khamis John Peter, Member, Generation Democracy, South Sudan 
    190. Margaret Picken, UK
    191. Emma Playfair, UK
    192. Vincent Ploton, Director of Development & Treaty Body Advocacy, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Switzerland
    193. John Marcelo Ozuna Polanco, Law student, Dominican Republic
    194. Makoi Popioco, Fellow, World Movement for Democracy, Philippines
    195. Oscar Cáceres Quispe, Founder, Todos Organizados Todo lo Podemos (TOTP), Peru
    196. Hajar Raissouni, journalist, Morocco 
    197. Jose Ramos-Horta, former President of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Laureate, Timor-Leste
    198. Stephen Rapp, former US Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes, USA
    199. Mychelle Rieu, Head of the Secretariat, Subcommittee on Human Rights, European Parliament, Belgium
    200. Mervat Rishmawi, human rights consultant, Palestine-UK
    201. Gina Romero, Executive Director, Redlad, Colombia
    202. Ken Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch, USA
    203. Malik Salemkour, President, French League for Human Rights, France
    204. Saïd Salhi, Vice President, Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LADDH), Algeria
    205. Mounir Satouri, Member of the European Parliament, Permanent Rapporteur of the European Parliament on Egypt, France
    206. Nour-eddine Saoudi, writer and community activist, Morocco
    207. Elham Saudi, human rights lawyer, Libya-UK
    208. Wael Sawah, Executive Director, Pro-Justice, Syria-USA
    209. Jamila Sayouri, President, Adala Association, Morocco
    210. Marc Schade Poulsen, PhD, Visiting Researcher, Roskilde University, Denmark
    211. Abdelhak Serhane, writer, Professor Emeritus, University of Louisiana, Morocco
    212. Mohammed Serifi, freedom activist, Morocco
    213. Elahé Sharifpour Hicks, Director, Partners For Rights, Iran
    214. Hassan Shire, Executive Director, DefendDefenders, Uganda
    215. Melanie N.D. Sonhaye-Kombate, Director of Programs and Advocacy, West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN), Togo
    216. Yasmin Sooka, human rights lawyer, South Africa
    217. Dr. Robert Springborg, Professor of National Security Affairs (ret), Naval Postgraduate School, USA
    218. Joe Stork, MENA Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch, USA
    219. Soo Suh, Program Manager, Asia Democracy Network, South Korea
    220. Ted Swedenburg, Professor of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, USA
    221. Mutasem Syoufi, Executive Director, The Day After, Turkey
    222. Wilder Tayler, President of the National Institution of Human Rights and Ombudsman’s Office, Uruguay
    223. Anthony Tirado Chase, Professor, Diplomacy & World Affairs, Occidental College, USA
    224. Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer, CIVICUS, India-Switzerland
    225. Imraja’a Tokka, Education and Awareness Program, Aman Organisation Against Discrimination, Libya
    226. Mohamed Tozy, University Professor, Morocco
    227. Mokhtar Trifi, former President of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH), Vice President of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Tunisia
    228. Bassem Trifi, Vice President, Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH), Tunisia
    229. Arnold Tsunga, Strategy and Technical Advisor, Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN), Zimbabwe
    230. Michel Tubiana, Honorary President, French League for Human Rights, France
    231. Aurora Espina Vergara, President, Tlawanáh - Mujeres que Transforman, Mexico
    232. Risham Waseem, Hurford Youth Fellow, World Movement for Democracy, Pakistan
    233. Lynn Welchman, Professor of Law, SOAS, University of London, UK
    234. Lukudu William, Founding Director, Empowerkids, South Sudan
    235. Tamara Cofman Wittes, former Deputy Assistant Secretary, United States Department of State, USA
    236. Taoufik Yacoub, university professor, Tunisia
    237. Hedi Yahmed, journalist and writer, Tunisia
    238. Edmund Yakani, Director, Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation, South Sudan
    239. Svitlana Zalishchuk, former Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, former Member of Parliament of Ukraine (2014-2019), Ukraine
    240. Yevgeniy Zhovtis, Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Kazakhstan
    241. Radwan Ziadeh, Senior Fellow, Middle East Arab Center, USA 

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