Rawda Ahmed
Rawda Ahmed is a human rights defender and a lawyer at the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), a Cairo-based non-governmental organisation which promotes freedom of expression across the Middle East and North Africa.
A significant crackdown on civil society in Egypt has been taking place since 2014. HRDs face an extremely challenging situation due to restrictions imposed on civil society and peaceful public gatherings and protests, travel bans, the arrest and sentencing of HRDs, bloggers, journalists and protesters, as well as an ongoing smear campaign against human rights groups. A counterterrorism law enacted in August 2015 defines terrorism in very broad terms, and is being used to restrict freedom of expression and intimidate government opponents, journalists and human rights defenders.
