HODA
ABDELWAHAB

Background and Work

Hoda Abdelwahab is an Egyptian lawyer and the Executive Director of the Arab Centre for Independence of Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP), a regional organisation founded in 1997. ACIJLP works to promote judicial independence, the rule of law, and respect for human rights across Egypt and the Arab region. The organisation monitors judicial systems, advocates for legal reforms, and provides a platform for legal professionals and civil society actors working on justice and accountability.

Abdelwahab has dedicated her career to defending the independence of the judiciary and supporting lawyers and judges who face pressure or persecution for their work. Her role requires frequent travel to participate in international conferences, engage with regional human rights networks, and represent Egyptian civil society in global forums on justice and human rights.

Case 173/2011 and the 2011 Raid

In December 2011, Egyptian police and public prosecution officials raided the offices of ACIJLP as part of a broader crackdown on civil society organisations. The raid was part of Case 173/2011, commonly known as the "foreign funding" case, which targeted dozens of Egyptian NGOs accused of receiving foreign funds without authorisation. During the raid, authorities seized computers and documents from ACIJLP's offices.

ACIJLP was never formally investigated as part of the case, and it was never referred to trial. The case remained open for more than a decade, however, and the organisations named in it operated under prolonged legal uncertainty and the threat of prosecution. Case 173/2011 was reopened in 2016, years after the initial raids.

The Travel Ban

On 20 June 2016, Hoda Abdelwahab arrived at Cairo International Airport to board a flight to Oslo, where she was scheduled to participate in an international conference on the death penalty. Airport officials informed her that a travel ban had been imposed on her by judicial order. She was never formally notified of the order, never given a copy of the decision, and never informed of the legal grounds for the restriction.

Abdelwahab believes the ban is linked to the reopening of Case 173/2011. The travel ban has remained in place continuously since 2016, preventing her from leaving Egypt for any reason. She has been unable to attend conferences, participate in regional human rights meetings, or carry out the international aspects of her work at ACIJLP.

Legal Proceedings and Attempted Appeals

Abdelwahab has submitted repeated requests to the Public Prosecution office and the criminal court seeking clarification of her legal status and the lifting of the travel ban. The authorities have provided only vague or unclear responses. She has not been officially removed from the case file, which remains pending before the Supreme State Security Prosecution despite the official closure of Case 173/2011.

In March 2024, after thirteen years of investigations, the Egyptian authorities announced the official closure of Case 173/2011. The announcement came three days after the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between Egypt and the European Union. The investigating judge confirmed that all investigations concerning the remaining Egyptian civil society organisations in the case had been completed.

Despite the closure of the case, the travel ban on Hoda Abdelwahab was not lifted. In December 2024, the authorities lifted the travel ban on Nasser Amin, Abdelwahab's colleague who had also been subject to restrictions in connection with Case 173/2011. Abdelwahab remains the only human rights defender still subject to the ban imposed in 2016. The ban has now been in effect for more than ten years.

Current Status and Ongoing Restrictions

Hoda Abdelwahab continues to live under the travel ban without formal notification, clear legal reasoning, or access to effective legal remedies. Her freedom of movement remains restricted despite the official closure of Case 173/2011 and the lack of any formal charges or trial proceedings against her or her organisation. She has received no reparations for the prolonged restrictions she has faced.

Travel bans remain a tool used by Egyptian authorities to restrict the movement of human rights defenders, lawyers, NGO workers, and former detainees, often without due process or formal notification. The bans are typically imposed by judicial order in connection with national security cases and can remain in place for years without review or appeal.