Human rights defenders
HuMENA documents the cases of human rights defenders in the Middle East and North Africa who have been targeted for their work. Each entry is a dated case file.
Scope of the archive and inclusion criteria
HuMENA applies the definition set out in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders: a human rights defender is any person who, individually or with others, acts by peaceful means to promote or protect internationally recognised human rights, their own or those of others. The status derives from the act, not from a person's profession or title.
Each person in this archive meets two conditions, established by reliable sources: a specific act of this kind, and targeting that followed from it. Cases that rest solely on a violation suffered, on family ties to a defender, on party membership, or on prosecution in a politically sensitive case fall outside its scope.
References: UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (resolution 53/144, 1998); HuMENA Editorial Guide.
Defenders on record, by country
Select a country to show its case files in the list below. The same countries are available in the country filter.
The Record
Filtered cases
At liberty Loujain al-Hathloul
Released February 2021, arrested December 2014
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Context, 13 May 2024
At liberty Amal Fathy
Released December 2018, arrested May 2018
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Final judgment, 11 January 2022
Killed Saud al-Faraj
Execution, 1 April 2026
Arbitrary detention
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Husain Mouneif al-Jabri
Held since June 2023
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Final judgment, 26 June 2025
Yahya Mohamed El Hafed Aaza
Physical assault, 19 March 2023
Arbitrary detention
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Ezzat Ghoneim
Held since September 2018
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Context, 5 March 2023
At liberty Raif Badawi
Released March 2022, arrested March 2008
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Travel ban imposed, 11 March 2022
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Mohamed Al-Roken
Held since June 2023
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Context, 26 June 2025
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja
Held since April 2011
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Defender activity, 14 May 2026
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Ayachi Hammami
Held since December 2025
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Punitive transfer, October 2026
Tarek Al-Selkawi
Held since November 2018
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Context, March 2025
At liberty Abdulaziz Al-Shubaili
Released July 2025, arrested September 2017
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Travel ban imposed, 13 July 2025