On 25 June 2014, the 19th Ludovic Trarieux human rights prize was awarded to Egyptian human rights lawyer Ms. Mahienour el-Massry from Egypt. She was sentenced on 2 January, 2014 (in her absence) to a two year prison sentence, for organising a peaceful protest. She was also accused of “attacking security forces”. In March 2013, El-Massry and other lawyers went to Raml police station to provide legal assistance to three activists who had been arrested and handed over to the police by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. In June 2014, Lawyers for Lawyers wrote a letter to the Egyptian authorities expressing concern about the detention of El-Massry.
Update 22 July 2014
According to the information received, on July 20, 2014, after successive adjournments, the Sidi Gaber Appeal Misdemeanour Court in Alexandria decided to reduce the two-year jail sentence against Ms. Mahienour El-Massry to six months. She is imprisoned for “protest without a permit” and “assaulting security forces”
However, the Court did not reduce the amount of her fine that remains unchanged at EGP 50,000 (approximately EUR 5,143). Ms. Mahienour El-Massry is detained in Damanhour prison since May 20, 2014 and has already completed two months of her sentence.
Moreover, Ms. El-Massry is also facing trial on separate charges for an incident that occurred in March 2013. The case was heard on July 21, 2014 and at this date the judge postponed it again to October 13, 2014.
The Ludovic Trarieux human rights prize
The Ludovic Trarieux human rights prize is an initiative of the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA) and the European Bar Human Rights Institute (IDHAE) and several European national and local bar associations and is awarded to “a lawyer, regardless of nationality or Bar, who throughout his career has illustrated, by his activity or his suffering, the defence of human rights, the promotion of defence rights, the supremacy of law, and the struggle against racism and intolerance in any form”. Earlier laureates include Muharrem Erbey from Turkey, Karinna Moskalenko from Russia and Beatrice Mtetwa from Zimbabwe.
