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 Ahmed Samir Santawy
Released July 2022, arrested February 2021
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Travel ban imposed, 16 April 2026
At liberty Ahmed Issa Qatan
Released August 2022, arrested February 2021
Arbitrary detention
At liberty Maâti Monjib
Released July 2024, arrested 1995
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Hunger strike begins, 31 March 2026
At liberty Jassim Al-Asadi
Released February 2023, arrested February 2023
Physical assault
At liberty Mohammed Fahd Al-Qahtani
Released January 2025, arrested March 2013
Arbitrary detention
At liberty Ibrahim Ezz El-Din
Released April 2022, arrested June 2019
Arbitrary detention
Kaddour Chouicha
Released December 2023, arrested October 2019
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Acquittal, 26 February 2025
At liberty Aida Seif El-Dawla
Summons, November 2026
Judicial harassment
At liberty Nezha Majdi
Released March 2026, arrested April 2021
Arbitrary detention
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith
Held since August 2015
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Final judgment, 4 March 2025
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Sheikh Mohammed Al-Siddiq
Held since April 2012
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Final judgment, 4 March 2025
Mohammed Al-Ghamdi
Held since June 2022
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Conviction, 24 September 2024