An Egyptian court on Saturday froze assets of five notable human rights activists and three NGOs for allegedly accepting foreign funds without governmental authorization. Though a criminal proceeding has yet to take place, this order [Al Jazeera report] likely spells criminal indictments for those groups and individuals for “pursuing acts harmful to national interests.” If found guilty, the individuals could face up to 25 years in prison. Many believe this action is politically motivated. Amnesty International called the court order [press release] a “shameless ploy to silence human rights activism,” and called for the court order to be invalidated.

Egypt [BBC timeline] has been internationally scrutinized in recent months over allegations of human rights infringements and free speech violations. Of particular concern is the prosecution and imprisonment of journalists by the Egyptian government, which has garnered widespread criticism from governments and rights groups worldwide. In March Egypt Justice Minister Ahmed al-Zind was relieved of his position after he stated that he would even imprison the Prophet Mohammed in response a question regarding the imprisonment of journalists. In January non-governmental organizations issued a joint statement [JURIST report] to the Egyptian parliament giving recommendations to ensure the enforcement of constitutional and human rights. In December Egyptian lawyer Nasser Amin challenged a law [JURIST report] that allows writers to be jailed for writings that violate Egyptian “morals.” In August 2015 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi [BBC profile] approved [JURIST report] a 54-article counter-terrorism law that has been met with significant controversy, as many believe it infringes on the freedom of the press. Many have said that the law defines terrorism too broadly and imposes harsh sentences and fines on violators. The same month Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] criticized [JURIST report] the law saying it infringes on freedom of the press.