Egyptian Activist Receives a Top Human Rights Award
Sometimes referred to as the Nobel of human rights prizes, the award recognizes those who "have shown deep commitment to human rights
and face great personal risk." A jury drawn from 10 international organizations selected Mr. Zaree from a shortlist of three candidates, citing his work leading a forum of independent Egyptian human rights organizations as well as for the Cairo Institute.
The award — the annual prize of the Martin Ennals Foundation — was given to Mohamed Zaree, the Egypt country director of the Cairo Institute for
Human Rights Studies, for his contribution to promoting human rights amid the government’s escalating harassment and intimidation of activists.
Brian Dooley said that The United States government needs to increase its pressure on its military allies in Egypt to allow Zaree
and other human rights defenders to work without harassment or fear of imprisonment,
The candidates were picked for their bravery and because the jury saw them as emblematic of the increasing hardships
that human rights defenders face globally, said Phil Lynch, a jury member and director of the Geneva-based International Service for Human Rights.