Egyptian lawyer Hoda Abdel-Moneim honoured with the 2025 IBA Human Rights Award
Egyptian human rights lawyer Hoda Abdel-Moneim is the winner of the 2025 International Bar Association (IBA) Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights. The Award, supported by LexisNexis®, recognises her remarkable dedication to defending fundamental freedoms and advancing justice, particularly in the areas of women’s rights, children’s rights and the fight against enforced disappearances.
Ms Abdel-Moneim was unable to receive the Award in person as she remains unjustly imprisoned in Egypt despite completing a five-year sentence in October 2023. While a statement from her could not be obtained due to her imprisonment, her daughter, Gehad Badawy, recorded a message accepting the Award on behalf of her mother. It was played to the audience at what would have been the presentation ceremony. Watch the video here.
In the film, Ms Badawy said, ‘On behalf of my mother, I am honoured to accept this award, hoping it will be a step towards her freedom and the message that defending human rights should be rewarded, not punished. I thank you all for your support and I ask everyone who hears me today to raise my mother’s case and the cases of all the human rights defenders who face the same fate and risk. You can write about them on social media, send letters to decision makers and show that you reject these practices against them. May we soon celebrate my mother’s freedom, and the freedom of all political prisoners.’
Throughout her distinguished career, Hoda Abdel-Moneim has been a leading advocate for human rights in Egypt and has become an inspiration for lawyers internationally. During her time as a member of Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights she championed reforms aimed at improving prison conditions and ensuring the humane treatment of detainees.
Despite her achievements, Ms Abdel-Moneim has faced severe reprisals for her work. She was arbitrarily detained on 1 November 2018 following a pre-dawn raid by security forces without a warrant, leading to a 21-day enforced disappearance during which she was denied contact with her family and legal counsel. Subsequently, she was charged with joining a terrorist organisation and inciting harm to the national economy, culminating in a five-year prison sentence delivered by the Emergency State Security Court in March 2023 – a verdict widely criticised for its lack of due process and fairness.
Although she completed her sentence on 31 October 2023, Ms Abdel-Moneim remains in custody. Authorities re-arrested her under a new case (No 730/2020) on identical charges, a practice known as ‘recycling of charges’, which contravenes Egyptian legal principles prohibiting double jeopardy. Her continued detention underscores the growing risks faced by lawyers and human rights defenders in Egypt.
The nomination for the Award was submitted by Lawyers for Lawyers, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) focused on, inter alia, safeguarding the role of lawyers worldwide. A representative of the NGO said, ‘This award stands as a powerful reminder of the indispensable role lawyers play in upholding justice, even under the most difficult circumstances. Hoda Abdel-Moneim’s resilience embodies the spirit of the legal profession’s commitment to human rights and the rule of law.’
This year’s award was announced by Dr Babatunde Ajibade, Chair of the IBA Section on Public and Professional Interest (SPPI), and presented to Ms Abdel-Moneim, in absentia, by Wajiha Ahmed and Shirley Pouget, Co-Chairs of the IBA Human Rights Law Committee, on Thursday 6 November during the SPPI Awards Breakfast at the 2025 IBA Annual Conference held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada.
The judging panel explained why it had chosen Ms Abdel-Moneim as the 2025 winner of the IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Human Rights: ‘Hoda Abdel-Moneim exemplifies the highest standards of courage, integrity, and dedication in the field of human rights law. Hoda has defended some of the most vulnerable in Egypt over a distinguished four decades. Her work has challenged systemic injustice and state repression in Egypt, where speaking out for human rights can lead to grave consequences. Hoda has helped shape human rights discourse through her roles in the Egyptian Bar Association, the National Council for Human Rights, and international forums.
‘Hoda is currently in detention despite completing her sentence. She reflects a deliberate effort to silence one of Egypt’s most principled legal voices. She is being punished not for any crime, but for her lifelong commitment to human rights.
‘Granting Hoda Abdel-Moneim the IBA Human Rights Award honours her legacy. It recognises not only her immense personal and professional contributions but also the urgent need to protect lawyers who risk everything to uphold the rule of law.’
Each year, the IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights honours individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage and integrity in defending the rights of others. Past recipients have included leading advocates for justice and freedom from around the world.
ENDS
Contact: IBApressoffice@int-bar.org
Notes
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Click here to read more about the IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights, bestowed annually upon a legal practitioner who is deemed to have made a remarkable contribution to the promotion, protection and advancement of the human rights of any group of people, particularly with respect to their right to live in a fair and just society under the rule of law.
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Download a high resolution image of Hoda Abdel-Moneim here.
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The IBA acts as a connector, enabler, and influencer, for the administration of justice, fair practice, and accountability worldwide. The IBA has collaborated on a broad range of ground-breaking, international projects with the United Nations, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, The Commonwealth, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, among others.
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The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), established in 1995 under Founding Honorary President Nelson Mandela, is an autonomous and financially independent entity, working to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.
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