Statement: The AOHR Opens Its 12th General Assembly in Cairo

Cairo, 24 September 2026 — The Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) opened the 12th regular meeting of its General Assembly on Thursday morning. The Assembly comprises 54 elected representatives from 21 branches and member organizations active in 27 countries. These include 14 Arab countries—Egypt, Palestine, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Kuwait, Syria, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Sudan, Lebanon and Iraq—as well as the Netherlands and Austria, whose branches cover countries in Northern and Central Europe.

The General Assembly is the organization’s principal constituency and highest governing body. It sets general policies and strategic plans, reviews achievements and progress, and strengthens cooperation among the organization’s bodies and its institutional and individual members. It also guides the organization’s constructive engagement with governmental and non-governmental bodies in Arab countries. During this session, the Assembly will elect a Board of Trustees for a new three-year term.

The Assembly consists of representatives of AOHR member organizations and members of the outgoing Board of Trustees. Its meeting was postponed more than once this year because of the exceptional circumstances affecting the Arab region.

The proceedings opened with an address by Mr. Mohamed Fayek, a member of the Board of Trustees and President of the General Assembly, delivered on his behalf by AOHR Secretary-General Ms. Maha Al-Barjas. Mr. Alaa Shalaby, Chair of the Board of Trustees, presented the Board’s address for its outgoing term, and Deputy Chair Mr. Issam Younis delivered welcoming remarks.

The Assembly was also honoured to hear opening remarks from leaders and representatives of the host country’s authorities. Participants included Dr. Ahmed Ihab Gamal El-Din, President of Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights, and Dr. Tarek Radwan, Chair of the Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives.

In keeping with the organization’s tradition, the 12th session is named in honour of Dr. Souad Al-Sabah. The designation recognizes her historic role in founding AOHR in 1983, her leadership of the organization until 2000, and her continued support through the present year.

AOHR has chosen “Arab Human Rights in the Digital Age: Opportunities and Risks” as the theme of the intellectual forum accompanying this session. The forum is due to begin shortly and will continue throughout the day.

The organization has invited prominent Arab public figures engaged in human rights to attend as honoured guests and observers of the Assembly’s proceedings and its adherence to the principles of internal democratic governance. Friends of AOHR, representatives of civil society in Egypt and other Arab countries, journalists, and specialists in law and political science are also attending the Assembly and its associated events.

The General Assembly will meet over three consecutive days. On Friday, 25 September, it will consider the outgoing term’s activity and financial reports, discuss conditions in Arab countries, and hear reports from branches and member organizations on their activities, the situations in their areas of work, and proposals for collective action. It will also discuss the strategy for the next term.

On Saturday morning, 26 September, the Assembly will elect AOHR’s Board of Trustees for the coming term. A visit will then be arranged for Assembly members and invited public figures and friends of the organization to AOHR’s headquarters, following the completion of infrastructure renovations intended to modernize its working facilities.

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