Egyptian Human Rights Defender speaks to York Amnesty

Azza Soliman, guest speaker at our monthly meeting at York Friends Meeting House on 8 December 2015


From Amnesty International's website:

An appeal court has upheld the acquittal of women’s human rights defender Azza Soliman and 16 others who witnessed the killing of Egyptian activist and poet Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh. Spurious charges had been brought against them after they testified as witnesses against the security forces.


Azza Soliman and 16 other eyewitnesses to the fatal shooting of a 32-year-old woman, Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh, had their acquittals (of charges under Egypt’s draconian Protest Law of protesting illegally and disturbing public order) upheld on 24 October 2015 by Qasr al-Nil Appeal Court.

While the Misdemeanour Court of Qasr al-Nil had acquitted the defendants of all charges on 23 May, Egypt’s Public Prosecution appealed against the decision three days later.

Azza Soliman thanked Amnesty International for its support and solidarity which she said strengthened her “in front of injustice and despair.”