Human rights

Egypt appoints first woman president of National Council for Human Rights

For the first time in history, Egypt appointed Egyptian diplomat Moushira Khattab to lead the National Council for Human Rights,

Egypt

Incoming CEO of Israeli NSO Group resigns amid Pegasus scandals

Isaac Benbenisti announced he was stepping aside "in light of the special circumstances" involving the Israeli spyware firm.

Israel

US, Egypt conclude first 'strategic dialogue' under Biden

In a joint statement, the two countries pledged to continue their dialogue on the US-Egypt strategic partnership, regional cooperation and human rights.

Egypt

Report documents Syrian regime detaining, killing health workers

A new report from Physicians for Human Rights found that health care workers who provided care to injured protesters in the early days of the Syrian civil war were at increased risk of abuse by the government.

Syria

Palestinian rights defenders hacked with NSO's Pegasus, report finds

The investigation found one of the hacked devices belonged to an American citizen.

Israel

Egypt hopes new massive prison complex will improve country's image

Cairo has opened a rehabilitation center for prisoners designed according to American standards and big enough to serve a quarter of the country’s inmates. While some citizens have hailed the move, other say it's meant to distract from the country's human rights record.

Egypt

US blacklists Israel's NSO Group for 'malicious' cyberactivities

The Biden administration placed to two Israeli cyberfirms, NSO Group and Candiru, on the US Commerce Department’s blacklist.

Israel

Ankara faces new calls to release philanthropist Osman Kavala

On the fourth year of his imprisonment, Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala issued a statement from prison, expressing hope that others will face a fairer trial.

Turkey

Erdogan slams Western envoys who urged philanthropist's release

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned a joint statement issued by the United States and nine other countries that called on Ankara to end its four-year detention of Osman Kavala. 

Turkey

Refugees returning to Syria face reprisals from government 

The rights organization documented arrest, arbitrary detention, torture and other forms of abuse among Syrian refugees who returned to their home country from Lebanon and Jordan.

Syria

Ankara summons 10 ambassadors over call to free Turkish philanthropist

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of the United States, Germany and France, among others, after they called for the release of Osman Kavala, a Turkish philanthropist jailed over four years without conviction.

Turkey

Jailing of terminally ill Gulen disciple stirs hearts across Turkey's ideological divide 

Ayse Ozdogan, an imprisoned end-stage cancer patient, has been denied release, despite a recommendation by a government-run hospital.

Turkey