High-profile Egyptian ANHRI rights group suspends its activities over ‘absence of rule of law’

CAIRO - A high-profile Egyptian human rights group announced on Monday it had suspended its activities over what it described as “the absence of the rule of law” in Egypt.

“Given the rising disregard of the rule of law in Egypt and growing human rights violations, which haven't spared independent human rights defenders…. we regret to announce that we suspended our activities,” the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said in a statement.

In 2016, the assets of ANHRI, among 13 other rights organisations, those of their directors and their families, were frozen by a court order as part of a series of restrictions on their activities.

ANHRI has been systemically subjected to violations, according to the group's statement.

“The group’s decision came after several attempts to go on, despite the difficult circumstances Egyptians are living in, including the lack of political stability, the restrictions imposed by the government on…human rights organisations, the arbitrary detentions and the imprisonment of rights defenders, journalists, activists and politicians,” the statement read.

“We have suspended institutional work and activities. But we will continue our legal work as lawyers with conscience and as independent human rights defenders side by side with the few remaining rights groups and all movements calling for democracy,” ANHRI Director Gamal Eid said.

Active since 2004, ANHRI is among the most prominent rights groups in Egypt. It also released several reports and research papers on other Arab-majority countries.