Human rights defender's story: Doaa Hassan from Egypt

Doaa Hassan began her significant journey as a human rights defender in the wake of the Egyptian revolution, driven by the arrest and subsequent disappearance of a friend. This personal impact propelled her from her original career into the front lines of human rights advocacy. As the Director of the Criminal Justice Program, she spearheaded initiatives against enforced disappearances, bringing international attention to these issues despite severe personal risks.

Her organisation’s campaigns illuminated numerous cases of disappearances and underscored the increasing dangers faced by civil society under the Egyptian government’s repressive actions against activists. Despite the threats to her safety, which ultimately forced her to step down from her role and leave her children for their security, Doaa’s commitment to justice and human rights remained steadfast. Her work culminated in significant calls to the international community to advocate against restrictive laws that stifled civil society and to support Egyptian human rights defenders in their fight to restore fundamental freedoms and human dignity.