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
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Husain Mouneif al-Jabri
Held since June 2023
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Final judgment, 26 June 2025
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Mohamed Al-Roken
Held since June 2023
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Context, 26 June 2025
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith
Held since August 2015
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Final judgment, 4 March 2025
Mahmood Al-Hosani
Held since July 2012
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
Imprisoned (serving sentence) Dr. Hadef Al-Owais
Held since September 2012
Arbitrary detention
Latest: Final judgment, 4 March 2025
Abdulsalam Al-Marzooqi
Held since July 2012
Arbitrary detention
Latest: UN special procedures communication, 16 April 2025