Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the number of people defending human rights in Egypt who are under arrest or subject to travel bans, asset freezes or intimidation.

We are concerned about the decreasing space for civil society to operate in Egypt, including the reopening of a case against more than 30 human rights organisations. Human rights defenders have been subject to measures including questioning, travel bans and judicial applications for asset freezing against individuals and their families. Officials continue to follow the proposed asset freeze against investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat and human rights defender Gamal Eid closely.

I raised these concerns with the Egyptian Ambassador in London and made a statement on 22 March. My officials regularly raise our concerns with representatives from the Egyptian Government in both Cairo and London.