Amnesty International has issued a press statement urging Egypt to lift travel bans imposed on human rights lawyers Nasser Amin and Hoda Abdelwahab. These travel restrictions stem from the prolonged and contentious Case 713/2011, notably referred to as the “foreign funding case.” This case has seen numerous NGOs and associated individuals investigated for receiving foreign funding, leading to operational halts, arrests, travel bans, and asset freezes.
Amin and Abdelwahab, affiliated with the Arab Centre for Independence of Judiciary and Legal Profession (ACIJLP), were part of this broader investigation. Despite the case concluding on March 20, 2024, travel bans against these individuals remain in effect.
Egypt faces ongoing international criticism over its treatment of NGOs and activists. In 2016, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch condemned the “arbitrary and abusive” travel bans imposed on activists. The European Parliament’s 2018 resolution highlighted the clampdown on civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and other activists. More recently, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies issued a nine-point criticism of Egypt’s Law 49 of 2019 on Regulating the Exercise of Civil Work, flagging the law for its excessive restrictions on civil activities and freedoms.
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