Rights groups call for the release of lawyer Hoda Abdel Moneim over health concerns and prolonged detention

The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA) and the undersigned organizations express their deep concern and profound regret over the health condition of lawyer and woman human rights defender (WHRD) Hoda Abdel Moneim in detention. This has led her to request exemption from attending court sessions and to be represented solely by her lawyer due to the extreme hardship she faces in being transported from the Correctional and Rehabilitation Center in 10th of Ramadan City, Sharqia Governorate, to the Second Terrorism Circuit trial venue at the Badr Security Complex. The request was rejected by the court.

This is the third time that lawyer Hoda Abdel Moneim has been tried on the same charges and has had to endure the ordeal of appearing in court for two cases simultaneously. While in detention, Hoda Abdel Moneim has suffered a serious deterioration in her health. She suffers from chronic conditions including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, high blood pressure, and severe arthritis, in addition to complete failure of her left kidney and a previous heart attack. Her condition has recently worsened: her right kidney is now failing, and she urgently needs knee surgery; however, she is reluctant to undergo the procedure because there is no guarantee she will be allowed to remain in the hospital for the necessary recovery period. During her lawyer’s last visit in early March 2026, he also noted that Abdel Moneim has been bedridden for over 20 days due to knee pain and her need for urgent medical care.

A former member of the National Council for Human Rights, Hoda Abdel Moneim has been in detention for nearly seven years, after being arrested at her home in 2018. She remained in pretrial detention for more than four years before being sentenced in Case No.1552 of 2018 to five years in prison on charges of joining a terrorist group, while she was acquitted of the financing charge. After serving her full sentence, she was re-detained by being “rotated” into Case No. 730 of 2020, and then added again to Case No. 800 of 2019, which was referred to trial in December 2024. She is now facing trial in these two cases on the same charges, in violation of the principle of ne bis in idem. Hoda Abdel Moneim has received several awards in recognition of her internationally acclaimed human rights work, including that of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe in 2020, and most recently the International Bar Association (IBA) Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner in the Field of Human Rights.

The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in Southwest Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA) and the undersigned organizations call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately release woman human rights defender and lawyer Hoda Abdel Moneim to save her life, and to cease arbitrary measures against her. The coalition also calls on local, regional, and international human rights and feminist groups and organizations to stand in full solidarity with Abdel Moneim and demand her immediate release, particularly in light of the Egyptian authorities’ recent escalation in targeting of women human rights defenders.

Signatory organisations: 

1. The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in Southwest Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA)
2. Egyptian Human Rights Forum (EHRF) 
3. Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF)
4. Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF)
5. Sinai Foundation for Human Rights 
6. The Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA)
7. El Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence 
8. The Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR) 
9. The Refugee Platform Egypt (RPE) 
10. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)
11. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
12. Egyptwide for Human Rights