Egypt steps up 'unprecedented' crackdown on NGOs

[FarCenter]

In an ongoing assault on human and civil rights groups, the Egyptian government froze the assets of several NGOs and activists this week, raising a chorus of criticism from the international community.

An Egyptian court on January 11 froze the assets of Mozn Hassan, director of the Nazra for Feminist Studies; Mohamed Zaree, head of the Arab Penal Reform Organization; and Atef Hafez, director of the Arab Organization for Judicial Reform, and seized those of the three groups.

"They froze my assets today and seized those of my organisation, the first time in history a feminist or women's rights organisation gets its assets seized," Hassan told Reuters.

The European Union said the decision, “continues a worrying trend of restricting space for civil society to operate in Egypt.”

The US State Department also responded, saying it is “troubled” by the court ruling.

http://www.france24.com/en/20170113-egypt-crackdown-civil-society-ngo-amnesty-sisi

[brush]

1. What does NGO stand for?

[canetoad]

2. Non-Government Organisation. nt