On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the January 25th Revolution, woman human rights defender (WHRD) Ms. Shaimaa Sabry Ahmed El Sabbagh, was killed in downtown Cairo while she was participating in a peaceful protest to commemorate the martyrs of the January 25th revolution.
Read the full statement from Nazra for Feminist Studies: Urgent Action – Shaimaa ElSabbagh – Egypt
In a shocking and peculiar turn of events, the Prosecution Office directed charges at the 6 witnesses who had submitted their testimonies to the Abdeen Police Station following the killing of WHRD Shaimaa ElSabbagh. One of these witnesses was prominent woman human rights defender, Ms. Azza Soliman, who is the founder of the feminist pioneering NGO, Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA) and who is currently serving as its Board of Trustees Head. It is extremely concerning that the Egyptian Prosecution Office directed charges at witnesses to the concerned event, especially that these charges include rallying, demonstrating without a permit and use of fireworks and rocks.
Read testimony from human rights lawyer Azza Soliman here: Testimony of WHRD Azza Soliman