The Secretary-General met today with Mr. Bahey eldin Hassan, Co-founder and Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, today at United Nations Headquarters. They discussed the difficult climate in which civil society organizations, human rights defenders and journalists operate in the country.

The Secretary-General highlighted the importance, for the full development of society, of allowing human rights defenders and civil society in general, as well as the media, to work without undue restrictions. He reiterated his support for the important work of Egyptian human rights organizations in promoting and implementing universal principles and standards of human rights.  

The Secretary-General noted that his recent Action Plan underscores the critical need for all parties, including Governments, to strictly observe human rights in their efforts to prevent violent extremism.