User:LibbieHayes/sandbox

sandbox

Hanan Badr el-Din

Hanan Badr el-Din is a human rights defender and is co-founder of The Association of the Families of the Disappeared group. This group is a network of individuals whose loved ones have been subjected to enforced disappearances. Hanan Badr el-Din became a human rights defender when her husband disappeared on 27 July 2013, following his participation in a demonstration. On 6 May 2017, Hanan Badr el-Din was arrested during her visit to Qanatar prison to find her husband. She was interrogated and had her personal items confiscated.

On 7 May 2017 Hanan Badr el-Din was transferred to South Banha prosecution office. She was detained here during her National Security Agency investigation. On 8 May 2017, the agency decided to extend her detention pending investigation by alleging that Hanan Badr el-Din is associated with the Muslim Brotherhood organization. As of 5 September 2017, she continues to face “preventative detention” by order of Egyptian authorities.

Front Line Defenders have condemned the “preventative detention” of Hanan Badr el-Din. Many believe she is being held due to her legitimate and peaceful human rights activities. Another factor that could have played into her detention is the ratification of a new law regulating non-governmental organizations, which was condemned by human rights groups. This law states that NGOs are prohibited from conducting activities that “harm national security, public order, public morality, or public health”, strictly controls their funding, and gives the government the authority to monitor their activities. Several other members of The Association of the Families of the Disappeared group have vanished. For example, co-founder Ibrahim Metwally Hegazy was arrested in Cairo just before he was due to fly to Geneva to address a UN meeting.

Front Line Defenders hopes that Egyptian authorities will do one of two things. Immediately and unconditionally release Hanan Badr El-Din Othman and all other human rights defenders facing judicial harassment in Egypt. Or, cease targeting human rights defenders in Egypt and guarantee that they are able to carry out their human rights activities without fear of repression and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.