Egypt freezes assets of human rights activists, NGOs

CAIRO — An Egyptian court froze assets of five prominent human rights activists and three non-governmental organisations on Saturday, provoking fears of an intensified crackdown on civil society.

They had been under renewed investigation for allegedly receiving foreign funds in a case that stretches back to 2011 and had caused a diplomatic crisis between Washington and Cairo.

European Union External Action Service criticised the decision in a statement.

"The increased pressure on independent Egyptian civil society, in particular human rights organisations and defenders, is not in line with Egypt's commitments to promote and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms as guaranteed by its constitution," the EU diplomatic service said.

Rights groups quickly denounced the decision, with Amnesty International calling it "a shameless ploy to silence human rights activism".

The rights activists are Hossam Bahgat, who founded the leading Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights NGO, Gamal Eid, Bahey El Din Hassan, Mostafa Al Hassan and Abdel Hafez Al Tayel.

The NGOs are Bahey Al Din Hassan's Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Mostafa Al Hassan's Hisham Mubarak Law Centre and the Egyptian Centre for the Right to Education.