Egypt’s reach now stretches far beyond its own borders as the government is stepping up efforts to silence critics living abroad. A new report has revealed a pattern of transnational repression that targets dissidents in Europe, North America and elsewhere, while also punishing their relatives inside Egypt. The chilling strategy leaves many exiled activists in legal limbo and families living with fear, sparking alarm among human rights experts and international watchdogs.
Transnational repression targets dissidents overseas
A major report released by the Egyptian Human Rights Forum (EHRF) highlights how Cairo has intensified actions against political dissidents and activists who left the country, using a range of tactics to restrict their freedom of expression and civil rights. The report draws on interviews and surveys with 34 Egyptian dissidents living in multiple countries and covers the period from January 2022 to September 2025.
According to the findings:
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Many exiled activists have been denied renewal of passports, identity documents or basic consular services, making travel and legal residency difficult or impossible.
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Several individuals have had their citizenship revoked, effectively leaving them stateless in their host countries.
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Activists have been prosecuted in absentia on charges that rights groups consider fabricated or politically motivated.
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Some have been placed on terrorism lists, which can restrict travel and increase the risk of arrest in certain countries.
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Reports of cyber harassment, digital surveillance, hacking and coordinated smear campaigns illustrate sophisticated efforts to disrupt critics’ lives.
EHRF’s lead researcher explained that the Egyptian authorities no longer need to detain critics physically to silence them. Instead, they use legal and state structures to create an “open air prison” for dissidents abroad, making everyday life uncertain and unstable.
Human rights advocates say these patterns reflect a deliberate strategy to weaken opposition voices rather than isolated bureaucratic or administrative issues.
Family members become pressure points
Rights groups warn that Egypt’s repression does not stop with activists abroad. The EHRF report shows that relatives inside Egypt are often punished or harassed as a way to exert pressure on dissidents overseas.
Nearly three quarters of surveyed dissidents said their family members had faced:
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Police summonses for questioning about the dissident’s online activities or political views.
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Home raids, often involving security forces visiting without clear legal justification.
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Travel bans imposed on relatives attempting to leave the country.
Human rights organizations describe this tactic as “punishment by proxy,” designed to intimidate activists and coerce them into silence by targeting those they care about most.
In one documented case, rights groups reported that authorities arrested Sobhy Eid, a 63‑year‑old father in Alexandria, after security forces raided his family’s home while questioning him about his son’s online activism. Eid was held incommunicado for several days and later faced prosecution on vague charges.
Other examples include relatives of dissidents being interrogated, detained without legal basis, subjected to property confiscations, and banned from travel, all in apparent retaliation for their loved ones’ political or journalistic work abroad.
Allies of Cairo may be complicit
The EHRF report also points to alleged cooperation by some Gulf states in repressing Egyptian dissidents. Countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were mentioned as having detained or deported Egyptian activists at Cairo’s request, sometimes despite knowledge of the risk of persecution upon return.
In one case cited, Kuwait reportedly deported an Egyptian‑Turkish dissident residing in Istanbul in mid‑2023, after pressure from Egyptian authorities.
Rights lawyers and activists argue that such cooperation weakens international refugee protections and undermines legal safeguards designed to protect people fleeing persecution.
Legal specialists warn of serious violations
Experts say the tactics described in the report may violate international human rights law. Human rights organisations note that Egypt’s conduct appears to conflict with obligations under:
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The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects freedom of expression and movement.
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The Convention Against Torture, which forbids cruel and degrading treatment or punishment.
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The 1951 Refugee Convention, which guarantees protection against refoulement and access to legal status for those who face persecution.
Legal analysts also stress that using international policing tools like Interpol red notices for political purposes undermines the integrity of international law enforcement mechanisms and endangers human rights defenders in safe countries.
Many rights advocates are calling on the Egyptian government to end punitive reprisals against activists and their families, restore citizenship and documentation rights, and comply with international norms. They also urge host countries to strengthen protections for dissidents at risk of transnational repression.
Stories behind the struggle
The case of Basma Mostafa, a journalist based in Germany, illustrates the human cost of these policies. International rights organizations and UN human rights experts have documented her ongoing harassment and threats linked to her investigative reporting on human rights abuses in Egypt.
Despite seeking safety in exile, Mostafa has faced threats across multiple countries and online harassment campaigns. The UN’s special rapporteurs have highlighted her situation and called on Egypt to halt transnational repression.
Her case highlights the emotional toll on exiled journalists and activists, forced to balance safety with their commitment to accountability and truth.
Complex history of repression at home
Egypt’s longstanding human rights challenges provide context for the latest developments. Over the past decade, authorities have frequently used broad anti‑terrorism laws and vague charges to target dissenters, journalists and political opponents, resulting in mass arbitrary detentions and prolonged pretrial imprisonment.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution has referred large numbers of political cases to special terrorism courts, where due process protections are minimal. Rights groups report that many detainees remain in pretrial detention for years without charge or trial.
This persistent climate of suppression within Egypt’s borders has now extended beyond them, affecting civil society far into the diaspora.
For many families, the suffering continues no matter where they live or where their loved ones have fled. These intertwining stories underline the urgent need for the international community to act, protect human rights defenders and hold governments accountable for abuses that cross borders.
