WHAT WE DO ›
Civic Space & Freedoms
Working to defend and expand the space where civic actors operate — protecting freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly across the MENA region and its diasporas.
Coverage in progress
OVERVIEW
Why civic space matters
Civic space is the foundation on which every other right depends. When governments restrict who can speak, organize, or assemble, the consequences cascade across protections for women, minorities, refugees, defenders, and the press.
HuMENA tracks and documents civic-space restrictions across the MENA region — from sweeping security laws and NGO crackdowns to digital surveillance, travel bans, and arbitrary detention of activists. We work with partners on the ground to surface patterns, name actors, and build the evidentiary record that international advocacy depends on.
Our coverage spans Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, and the diasporas where transnational repression now follows exiled voices.
HOW WE WORK IN THIS AREA
Three roles, one mission
01
Monitor
We track patterns of repression, civic-space restrictions, and rights violations through trusted partners and primary sources across the region.
02
Document
We produce reports, statements, and analyses grounded in evidence — translating fragmented testimony into structured records that hold up to scrutiny.
03
Advocate
We carry findings to UN mechanisms, EU institutions, and bilateral missions — converting documentation into protection, accountability, and policy change.
FEATURED
Recent reports & analyses
Joint Statements
Syria | The Future of Justice in Syria Requires an Independent and Effective Commission of Inquiry
The undersigned Syrian civil society organisations and international and regional organisations welcome the renewal of the mandate of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria at the 61st Sessi…
Read publication → Joint Statements
Saudi Arabia Surpasses 2,000 Executions Under King Salman
As of early April, the number of executions carried out by Saudi Arabia since King Salman bin Abdulaziz’s accession to the throne on January 23, 2015—and the subsequent appointment of his son, Crown P…
Read publication → Statements
HuMENA at HRC61: Advocacy on Digital Rights and Civic Space in MENA
During the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement joined a civil society advocacy mission in Geneva alongside the Innovation for Change MENA Hub (I4C…
Read publication → Joint Statements
Egypt | Seven Years Since the Disappearance of Ahmed Hassan: Human Rights Organizations Demand Immediate Disclosure of His Whereabouts
The undersigned organizations express their grave concern regarding the continued lack of information concerning the fate of student Ahmed Hassan, whose whereabouts have remained unknown since April 1…
Read publication →ALL PUBLICATIONS
Browse the full archive
Mar 23, 2026
Algeria | Closure of the office of the “SOS Disappeared” association, affiliated with the Collective of Families of the Disappeared in Algeria, constitutes a direct attack on freedom of association and the right to truth
Mar 19, 2026
Tunisia | Prosecution of “Sumud Flotilla” Members Marks a Dangerous Escalation in the Criminalization of Solidarity with Gaza
Mar 13, 2026
Detention of Fareah Al-Saqqaf and Suad Al-Munayes by State Security Raises Serious Concerns about Freedom of Expression and Legal Safeguards in Kuwait
Mar 5, 2026
Iraq | Arrest of Environmental Activist Murtadha Al-Janoubi and Peaceful Protesters in Maysan
Mar 4, 2026
Iraq | The Assassination of Yanar Mohammed: A Crime Against Every Woman Who Dared to Resist
Feb 25, 2026
Tunisian Authorities Face a Test of Their Commitment to Combating Racism: Human Rights Defender Saadia Mosbah Remains in Pretrial Detention Since 2024
Feb 15, 2026
Egypt | Human rights organizations condemn the expansion in summoning human rights and political figures for investigation before the Supreme State Security Prosecution: Security measures and vague charges aimed at silencing independent voices
Feb 11, 2026
Tunisia | Detention of MP Ahmed Saeedani and Risks to Parliamentary Independence
Feb 11, 2026
Jordan | HuMENA Condemns the Targeting of Kamil Al-Zoubi for Peaceful Expression
WHERE WE WORK
Civic-space coverage by country
Stay close to the work. Get our briefings on civic space and freedoms across MENA.