On the 3rd of July, during the 41st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Right Livelihood Foundation voiced Nazra’s concerns and called on Egypt to immediately lift the unfair and prolonged travel ban imposed on Ms Hassan since June 2016.
The Universal Declaration on Human Rights affirms the freedom of movement as an inalienable human right.
Yet, Human right defenders (HRDs) and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in Egypt are faced with prolonged and unfair travel bans to punish them for their human rights and feminist advocacy.
In the events of this session, we would like to express our deepest concern over the prolonged and unfair travel ban imposed by the Egyptian authorities.
As Egypt heads into its Universal Periodic Review session next November, WHRDs, HRDs, and activists in case 173/2011, known as the foreign funding case, still face travel bans that are not only unfairly depriving them of their freedom of movement, but also preventing them from carrying out their duties as human rights defenders.
WHRD and feminist activist Mozn Hassan, who is the executive director of the ECOSOC-accredited NGO Nazra for Feminist Studies, was effectively banned from travelling since 26 June 2016 when she was stopped at the airport and prevented from travelling to a meeting for the regional coalition of WHRDs.
Ms Mozn Hassan has filed a request to judiciary authorities to lift the unfair and punitive travel ban imposed on her. On 20 June, a judge from South Cairo Circuit was set to look at the request to lift the travel ban but postponed it to a session on 14 September.
Thus, we urge the council and member states to call on Egypt to immediately lift the unfair and prolonged travel ban imposed on Ms Hassan since June 2016 that has no justification except being retaliation against Ms Hassan for her human rights and feminist advocacy.
