Areas of work
Protection of Defenders
Standing with human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and activists facing risk, through documentation, advocacy, and protection-oriented support across the MENA region.
OVERVIEW
Why defender protection matters
Human rights defenders carry the weight of accountability in places where institutions fail to. They face arbitrary detention, judicial harassment, travel bans, surveillance, smear campaigns, and increasingly transnational repression that follows them into exile.
HuMENA documents threats, intervenes through urgent appeals to UN special procedures and EU institutions, supports relocation when needed, and builds the international visibility that turns isolated cases into recognized patterns.
We work with defenders at risk in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and the diasporas where transnational repression now follows exiled voices.
HOW WE WORK IN THIS AREA
How HuMENA works on protection of defenders
01
Follow each case
We document the cases of detained and prosecuted defenders, journalists and lawyers in our archive, and keep each file up to date.
02
Act fast
When a defender is arrested, disappeared or at risk of deportation, we issue urgent appeals and joint statements with partner organisations.
03
Use the UN, support relocation
We submit cases to UN mechanisms such as the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and support relocation when needed.
FEATURED
Recent reports & analyses
Legal & Political Analysis
On Freedom of Expression, Journalism and Punishment in Egypt
When asked “What does free speech or free expression mean to you personally?” Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of the independent media platform Mada Masr, replied saying “being able to think without…
Read publication → Statements & Letters
Organizations condemn Mada Masr shutdown, stand with editor-in-chief Lina Attalah
Human rights and media organizations condemn the conviction of Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah and the court-ordered shutdown of the independent news outlet, warning of an escalating crackdown…
Read publication → Joint Statements
Urgent Global Call Following the Referral of Mada Masr Editor-in-Chief Lina Attalah to Trial
We, the undersigned civil society organizations and independent media outlets from around the world, join together to condemn the unprecedented attack on press freedom in Egypt following the referral…
Read publication → Statements
HuMENA condemns the reported torture of Matsada2sh journalists and calls for an independent investigation
HuMENA condemns the torture and ill treatment that journalists of the fact-checking platform Matsada2sh reported to the Supreme State Security Prosecution.
Read publication →ALSO RECENT
More recent work
- Criminalization of Art in Egypt: Artists Behind BarsAnalysis
- Tunisia | Court hearings continue for activists arrested after protest in solidarity with detained Sumud Flotilla activists Statements
- Global Call for the Release of Entire Newsroom at Egyptian Investigative Journalism Platform MatsadaashJoint Statements
- Tunisia | Drop Terrorism and State-Security Charges Against Journalist Zied El Heni, Already Serving a One-Year Sentence Statements
- 38 Global Civil Society Organizations file joint brief in US lawsuit challenging legality of Trump’s ICC sanctionsJoint Statements
- Tunisia | Ensure Mohamed Yousfi’s Defense Rights and Medical Care Pending His ReleaseStatements
Stay close to the work. Get our briefings on defender protection across MENA.