New intellectuals, human rights defenders join Egypt’s National Dialogue

CAIRO – 30 March 2023: General Coordinator of the National Dialogue Diaa Rashwan said Thursday that a new group of politicians, celebrities, intellectuals, human rights activists, and writers has joined the National Dialogue Board of Trustees’ committee.

"This matter comes in light of the National Dialogue’s keenness to include all the segments of the Egyptian society, and use the experience of its symbols and leaders in various fields," he continued.

The new members are:

-       Actor Ahmed Abdel Aziz

-       Writer and intellectual Nabil Abdel Fattah

-       Writer and screenwriter Abdel Rahim Kamal

-       Poet Ibrahim Abdel Fattah

-       Writer and poet Ibrahim Dawood

-       Economic researcher Salah Zaki Murad

-       Political activist Yasser al-Hawari

-       Nasserite activist  Maha Abu Bakr

-       Civil society activist Zainab Abdel Rahman Khair

-       Civil society expert Ahmed Abdel Qader Tammam

-       Journalist Mahmoud el-Sakka

-       Human Rights Defender Mohamed Abdel Aziz

-       Civil society expert Reda Shukri

-       Civil society expert Mahmoud Mortada

-       Civil society expert Mona Ezzat

-       Journalist Mustafa al-Kilani

The national dialogue comes as part of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's national human rights strategy, launched in September 2022 with vows to open the public space to be more and more inclusive. As such, hundreds of inmates, including dozens of human rights activists, have recently been released by the Presidential Pardon Committee.