The foundation stated that it decided to offer Hassan and the NGO support in Egypt after a travel ban prevented her from attending the official award ceremony in Stockholm on 25 November 2016. The women rights advocate has faced other sanctions, including assets being frozen after being interrogated in the NGO’s foreign funding case launched in 2011 and re-opened in March last year. Several civil society workers have faced similar sanctions and trials. Adding that although she believes the presence of independent civil society in Egypt is under threat, Hassan said she had faith in the new generation to pursue the cause. Many human rights defenders attended Saturday’s ceremony, in addition to politicians and foreign parliamentary members.

Source: Daily News Egypt March 26, 2017 10:41 UTC