A/HRC/60/62
its human rights activism, including engagement with the United Nations. Since 2015,
mandate holders have raised concerns, including publicly, over the arrest, filing of criminal
charges for terrorism and national security related crimes, travel bans and assets freeze of
EIPR staff in connection to their human rights work. Those targeted have included Mr.
Hossam Bahgat 17 , three former directors of EIPR, Mr. Gasser Abdel Rakez, Mr. Karim
Ennarah and Mr. Mohamed Basheer,18 and another EIPR staff, Mr. Patrick Zaki, who was
sentenced to three years in prison for an article he wrote on religious discrimination in Egypt.
Mr Zaki was pardoned after spending nearly two years in prison19.
48.
On 20 December 2024, mandate holders addressed allegations of continued
harassment and transnational repression of Ms. Basma Mostafa in connection with her
participation in an international advocacy program for human rights and her meetings with
United Nations human rights mechanisms and OHCHR. Ms. Mostafa is an Egyptian
investigative journalist and human rights defender who has been in exile since November
2020. (EGY 6/2024) The alleged harassment and transnational repression relate to acts by
Egyptian State agents or agents apparently acting on behalf, or with the acquiescence, of
Egyptian State authorities in Germany, Kenya, Lebanon, and Switzerland since 2020.
(EGY 6/2024)
49.
On 16 June 2024, in the context of Ms. Mostafa’s participation in an international
advocacy program for human rights defenders in Geneva and meetings with United Nations
human rights mechanisms and OHCHR, an individual reportedly followed Ms. Mostafa to
the hotel where she was staying. The following day, there was an attempt to hack her social
media account by an unknown actor. On 18 June 2024, a man reportedly approached her,
stating that he knew she was Egyptian and that he was a police officer who could arrest her
on the spot. These incidents were reported to the Swiss authorities (EGY 6/2024).
50.
Mandate holders raised concerns about the repeated and prolonged harassment, acts
of intimidation, and cyberattack attempts against Ms. Mostafa, which appear to indicate that
she is a victim of transnational repression in direct retribution for her work as a journalist and
human rights defender and expressed deep concern that these acts may constitute acts of
intimidation or reprisal for her cooperation with the United Nations and its mechanisms in
the field of human rights. (EGY 6/2024) Mandate holders also expressed concerns about the
arrest, detention, alleged enforced disappearance, and allegedly baseless charges brought
against Ms. Mostafa, in direct connection with her work as a journalist and human rights
defender, which ultimately forced her into exile (EGY 6/2024).
51.
On 14 July 2025, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to
the present report noting that it respects the rule of law and the separation of powers and
ensures compatibility of national legislation with its obligations under international law. It
further stated that the Egyptian Public Prosecution is an independent judicial authority and
that charges are made and law enforcement and judicial measures are undertaken based only
on incontrovertible evidence. It also noted that it does not exercise its law enforcement
jurisdiction except through the established legal channels either through Interpol or the
execution of agreements on criminal or judicial cooperation, depending on each specific case.
9.
Indonesia
52.
On 26 March 2024, in its concluding observation on the second periodic report of
Indonesia, the Human Rights Committee recommended that the State should conduct prompt,
thorough and impartial investigations into all reports of harassment, intimidation and
reprisals against human rights defenders, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice
and, if convicted, punished with penalties commensurate with the seriousness of the offence,
and that human rights defenders are able to carry out their work in a safe and enabling
environment.20
17
EGY 16/2015, EGY 6/2016, EGY 15/2020, EGY 2/2022.
EGY 15/2020, EGY 2/2022.
19 EGY 6/2020, EGY 10/2020, EGY 15/2020, EGY 2/2022.
20 CCPR/C/IDN/CO/2, para. 33b.
18
25