Civil Society Under Fire: Recent Wave of Arrests in Egypt

PN member MEP Dr. Franziska Brantner (Foreign policy speaker of the Greens / EFA in the European Parliament) will host in collaboration with the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) a lunch speaker event on "Civil Society Under Fire: Recent Wave of Arrests in Egypt" on May 7, 2013, at 12:30-14:30.

Not only have past crimes against protestors and political activists to this day largely not been investigated, but the state has started a new crack-down with more than 30 political activists, media and civil society representatives currently facing trial. The government is reducing the public space for debate and dissent. This is the more poignant taking the current IMF loan negotiations into account and the re-launch of the EU-Egypt Association Agreement negotiations. Using video-conferencing this speaker series will allow human rights organizations and activists to give their assessment of the situation on the ground.

List of speakers:

• Ahmad Abdallah, 6 April Movement activist facing trial
• Mohamed Sabry, journalist currently facing military trial
• Rawda Ahmed, Director of the Legal Aid Unit for the Freedom of Expression, ANHRI
• Heba Morayef, Egypt Director, Human Rights Watch

After the conference, the recorded stream can be watched here.