Human rights defenders across the MENA region face arrest, detention, travel bans, judicial harassment, enforced disappearance, and in some cases, torture. Many are targeted precisely because their work is effective.
HuMENA works to protect these individuals through urgent advocacy, case documentation, coalition statements, and engagement with international mechanisms including the UN Human Rights Council and special procedures. We monitor detention conditions, call for the release of imprisoned defenders, and support networks that provide protection and solidarity.
This is our most active area of work, reflecting the scale and urgency of the crisis facing defenders in the region.
Related Publications & Statements
- 2026-04-09 · Press Releases
Bahrain | Fifteen Years Since the Arrest of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja: Ongoing Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Medical Neglect, and the Shrinking of Civic Space in Bahrain - 2026-04-08 · Joint Statements
Egypt | Civil Society Organizations Worldwide Call for the Immediate Release of Ahmed Douma - 2026-04-01 · Joint Statements
Egypt | Seven Years Since the Disappearance of Ahmed Hassan: Human Rights Organizations Demand Immediate Disclosure of His Whereabouts - 2026-03-23 · Statements
Algeria | Closure of the office of the “SOS Disappeared” association, affiliated with the Collective of Families of the Disappeared in Algeria, constitutes a direct attack on freedom of association and the right to truth - 2026-03-19 · Statements
Tunisia | Prosecution of “Sumud Flotilla” Members Marks a Dangerous Escalation in the Criminalization of Solidarity with Gaza - 2026-03-13 · Press Releases
Detention of Fareah Al-Saqqaf and Suad Al-Munayes by State Security Raises Serious Concerns about Freedom of Expression and Legal Safeguards in Kuwait - 2026-03-05 · Press Releases
Iraq | Arrest of Environmental Activist Murtadha Al-Janoubi and Peaceful Protesters in Maysan - 2026-02-25 · Press Releases
Tunisian Authorities Face a Test of Their Commitment to Combating Racism: Human Rights Defender Saadia Mosbah Remains in Pretrial Detention Since 2024 - 2026-02-11 · Press Releases
Tunisia | Detention of MP Ahmed Saeedani and Risks to Parliamentary Independence - 2026-02-04 · Press Releases
Algeria | 10-year prison sentence for unionist and human rights defender Ali Al-Omari, with serious concerns regarding fair trial guarantees - 2026-01-24 · Press Releases
Tunisia | Criminalizing Journalism: Zghidi and Bessis Sentenced - 2026-01-08 · News
Tunisia | A life-threatening health emergency for lawyer and former administrative judge Ahmed Souab in detention, and the State’s duty to ensure medical care and end the criminalisation of the right to defence and freedom of expression - 2026-01-06 · Press Releases
Tunisia | HuMENA welcomes the release of Sharifa Riahi and her colleagues, but release is not enough. It is time to end the criminalisation of civil society work linked to protecting migrants and refugees. - 2025-12-28 · Joint Statements
One year since the arrest of Abdulrahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi: a year of complicity, enforced disappearance, and diplomatic failure - 2025-12-17 · Joint Statements
Yemen | Joint Letter Calls for the Immediate and Unconditional Release of Journalist Naseh Shaker - 2025-11-25 · Joint Statements
Algeria | Human rights organisations and international trade union federations call for the immediate release of unionist and human rights defender Ali Mammeri - 2025-11-16 · Joint Statements
Bahrain | UN Committee against Torture must call out the absence of accountability for grave human rights violations - 2025-10-14 · Joint Statements
Yemen | Houthi Authorities in Yemen Must Release Lawyer Abdulmajeed Sabra and Others Held for Peaceful Expression - 2025-10-04 · Press Releases
Death Sentence over Facebook Posts: A Grave Collapse of Rule of Law and Freedom of Expression in Tunisia - 2025-09-29 · Joint Statements
38 CSOs Condemn US Sanctions on leading Palestinian Human Rights Organisations - 2025-09-08 · Press Releases
HuMENA Condemns Houthi Arrests of UN Staff in Yemen, Warns of Grave Threat to Humanitarian Work - 2025-08-18 · Analysis
From the Constitution to the Prison: How Egypt Penalizes Citizens for Protesting - 2025-08-11 · Joint Statements
Egypt | Ongoing Harassment of Lina Attalah and Escalating Crackdown on Mada Masr and Independent Journalism in Egypt - 2025-08-07 · Joint Statements
Saudi Arabia | NGOs call for immediate release of Saudi human rights defender Mohammed al-Bejadi, still held two years after his sentence ended - 2025-07-31 · Joint Statements
Joint Letter to the Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. Urging Action on the Ongoing Detention of Galal El-Behairy - 2025-07-23 · Joint Statements
Egypt | Rights Groups Call for End to State Harassment of Human Rights Defender Mohamed Abdel Salam and Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression - 2025-07-10 · Joint Statements
Egypt | Rights Groups Call on Egyptian Authorities to Immediately Release Dr. Salah Soltan and All Wrongfully Detained Prisoners Sentenced in Case No. 1766 of 2022 - 2025-07-09 · Press Releases
Tunisia | HuMENA: Two-Year Sentence for Ramlah Dahmani Reinforces Decree 54’s Use to Punish Solidarity and Expression - 2025-07-04 · Press Releases
Algeria | HuMENA Condemns the Upheld Sentence Against Boualem Sansal: A Grave Violation of Freedom of Expression and Fair Trial Guarantees - 2025-06-26 · Joint Statements
Solidarity Gathering in Brussels: A Joint Call to Free Detained Human Rights Defenders Across MENA
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