34 rights organizations on Wednesday called on the Egyptian government to immediately lift the travel bans and asset freezes imposed on three directors of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), an Egyptian human rights organization.

The coalition of organizations denounced the restrictions imposed upon former Executive Director Gasser Abdel Razek, Administrative Director Mohamed Bashir, and former Criminal Justice Unit Director Karim Ennarah, stating that the restrictions were imposed “solely for [the directors’] legitimate human rights work.”

The travel bans and asset freezes were imposed in December 2020, days after the three individuals were released from detention. The trio had been arrested in November 2020 on charges related to terrorism in connection with their human rights work, and their arrest sparked international criticism. The coalition stated: “The authorities have never produced any evidence for these baseless charges.” Despite their release from detention, the directors remain unable to leave Egypt or access their personal funds due to the court-ordered sanctions.

The EIPR further stated that Egyptian law has been violated over the years in relation to these sanctions. According to Egyptian law, asset seizure decisions must be reviewed every three months, while travel bans imposed by judicial authorities expire after three years. The EIPR claimed that both provisions have been ignored, signaling a broader pattern of judicial harassment and disregard for the rule of law in Egypt.

The groups’ joint statement comes amid a broader crackdown on dissent in Egypt, where protests and activism are met with harsh penalties. In July, Amnesty International reported the arrest of 119 people during anti-government protests fueled by economic hardships and electricity shortages. EIPR human rights lawyers were included in these arrest figures. Many individuals were charged with “spreading false news” or “joining a terrorist group,” with critics claiming that the charges showcased the government’s reliance on vaguely defined security laws to suppress dissent.

With Egypt set to undergo its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council in January 2025, rights groups are urging member states to press the Egyptian government to lift these travel bans and asset freezes along with other punitive measures that have been taken against human rights defenders.