Mahienour El-Massry is a human rights lawyer and political activist working on judicial independence and promotion of civil rights in Egypt since 2005. She organizes peaceful protests, supports activities for political prisoners, and uses social media to denounce human rights violations. Ms. El-Massry was one of the figures of the uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
Ms. El-Massry was imprisoned on several occasions from 2008 to 2018. The arrests and imprisonments stemmed from false charges of terrorism, joining illegal organizations, the misuse of social media, organizing and participating in unauthorized protests and participating in a youth-movement conference. El-Massry was most recently released from prison on bail in July 2021, after being charged with aiding a terrorist group and spreading false news. Ms. El-Massry’s imprisonment has drawn international criticism.