Section One: Political Parties
Introduction:
The 2025 House of Representatives elections witnessed wide controversy due to corruption, which some referred to as “political money.” Independent candidates announced complaints about attempts to buy votes and the absence of equal opportunities in favor of candidates from pro-government parties. Accusations increased after the President of the Republic himself declared his dissatisfaction with the conduct and procedures of these elections.
Homeland Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan):
The party held mass celebrations and large public conferences to support its candidates, along with service-based campaigns and money distributed in various forms across several governorates. The month ended with a statement confirming its monitoring of a series of systematic campaigns targeting the party and its candidates over the past days through social media, noting that these campaigns are led by the Muslim Brotherhood with the aim of spreading discord and rumors and undermining citizens’ trust in state institutions and national entities.
Homeland Protectors Party (Humat el Watan):
Similarly, the Homeland Protectors Party organized a number of mass conferences in the governorates participating in the second phase of the 2025 parliamentary elections. It also expressed gratitude to the National Elections Authority for what it described as its commitment to upholding the principles of transparency and integrity when announcing the results of the first phase of the elections.
National Front Party (Al Gabha Al Wataneyya):
The party witnessed a wave of major resignations ahead of the parliamentary elections, including:
- Police General Kamal al-Daly, Secretary of the National Front Party in Giza and former Giza Governor
- Counselor Mohamed Selim, the party’s secretary in Aswan
- General Salah Abu Uqail, the party’s secretary in Sohag.
The Constitution Party (Al Dostour):
The party intensified its activities in support of its independent candidates. It called on the National Elections Authority to regulate campaigning, prevent vote-buying, and ensure equal opportunities for all candidates.
The Civil Democratic Movement:
The movement issued only two statements this month: one demanding justice for a prisoner of conscience whose mother passed away while he was imprisoned , and another calling for parliamentary elections free from violations or infringements.
The Bread and Freedom Party (Under Formation):
The party issued several statements, including condemnation of the war in Sudan and objection to the arbitrary dismissal of a Cairo University student. It also announced solidarity with the protests of drinking water and sanitation company workers demanding financial and administrative rights.
The Popular Socialist Alliance Party:
The party took a series of political positions during November, including supporting the residents of El Warraq Island, rejecting laws and decisions affecting Palestinian rights, condemning the dismissal of a Cairo University student, and participating in petitions of solidarity with workers. Through its statements, the party reaffirmed its stance against security pressures and any paths that threaten Palestinian sovereignty or citizens’ social rights.
The Conservatives Party (Al Mohafezeen):
The Conservative Party was active during November, holding a mass conference in Aswan and closely monitoring the electoral process through its operations room. The party welcomed the President’s statements calling for investigations into violations and ensuring the protection of popular will and the rule of law.
The Dignity Party (Al-Karama):
Throughout November, the party held several activities, including seminars on the situation in Sudan, the establishment of a committee to defend prisoners of conscience, and a statement condemning arbitrary measures taken against a Cairo University student. It also organized a discussion event on the history of anti-normalization resistance in Egypt, affirming the party’s presence in national and pan-Arab causes.
The Egyptian Social Democratic Party:
The party witnessed extensive political and electoral activity during November, including foreign visits, monitoring the elections and documenting irregularities. It also issued several statements welcoming the President’s remarks expressing dissatisfaction with how the elections were conducted, and confirmed its participation in National Elections Authority meetings in defense of transparency and citizens’ rights.
Hope Current Party (Tayyar Al Amal – under establishment):
The party participated in events supporting prisoners of conscience and parliamentary candidates, and held educational seminars in cooperation with other parties. It also organized a meeting on political training and education titled “The Egyptian People Are Resistant,” attended by the founders’ deputy Ahmed Tantawi, hosted by Medhat al-Zahed, head of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, with several leaders and cadres from both parties in attendance.
The Revolutionary Socialists Movement:
The movement issued several solidarity statements, including support for student Hossam Mahmoud and demands for his right to return to his studies after being expelled for supporting Palestine. It also expressed solidarity with The Water company workers and journalists at Al-Bawaba News in their demands for a minimum wage and the regularization of employment.
Section 2: Professional and Labor Unions
First: Labor Unions
The General Union of Utilities Workers
- Workers at the Water Company in five governorates organized protest sit-ins for 12 days, demanding the implementation of the minimum wage with proper job grading, the permanent hiring of temporary workers, and the dismissal of the Deputy Chairman for Financial and Administrative Affairs, Ali Amasha. The workers suspended their protests after receiving promises from management to study and implement their demands.
- Workers at the Aswan electricity stations organized a protest demanding an increase in their salaries, which are below the minimum wage (7,000 EGP 150 USD).
The General Union of Port Workers
Workers at Al Rabat wal Anwar Company in Port Said – 1,500 workers – went on strike in protest against amendments made by the company’s board to the internal regulations, which reduced workers’ incentives by 25% under the pretext of allocating them to the Disaster and Crisis Fund.
Child Labor
Results of the national survey conducted by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics revealed that child labor affected nearly 2.76 million working children during the period 2021–2022, including 1.6 million children aged 12 to 17, representing 9.3% of all children in this age group.
Ministry of Labor
- The Board of Directors of the Emergency Aid Fund for Workers, headed by the Minister of Labor Mohamed Gobran, announced that in 2025 the fund approved raising the minimum monthly emergency allowance to 1,500 EGP.
- This government fund aims to support workers whose wages are suspended due to crises faced by the establishments employing them.
Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF)
- The Egyptian Trade Union Federation published its basic and financial statutes in the Egyptian Gazette, in accordance with the Trade Union Organizations Law and the protection of the right to organize, as part of updating trade union databases.
- The Arab Labor Organization, in cooperation with the Federation, organized a seminar on the new Labor Law and its role in improving labor relations, with the participation of trade union leaders.
The General Union of Printing, Media, Publishing, and Antiquities Workers
- Journalists at the “Al-Bawaba News” institution held a sit-in demanding the implementation of the minimum wage, the provision of a proper working environment, the provision of medical and health insurance for all workers, the establishment of a financial and administrative regulation for the institution, and the formation of a trade union committee for journalists within the institution.
- In response, the management of the Al-Bawaba News website and newspaper closed the cafeteria, disabled the elevator, cut the internet for the protesting journalists, and threatened to shut down the institution and lay off workers.
The General Union of Commerce Workers
- Workers at “United Pharmacists Company” held a protest at the company’s headquarters in Dar El-Salam, Cairo, in response to not receiving their full wages, the company’s policy of delaying salary payments, and its refusal to pay insurance contributions — which resulted in the suspension of medical and healthcare services for workers, according to Mada Masr.
- Workers also held similar protests at the company’s Tamooh and Haram branches in Giza Governorate, without any response, since they had previously organized a sit-in in August with the same demands.
The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS):
- CTUWS organized the second training course within its specialized program to enhance lawyers’ awareness of labor legislation, particularly the new Labor Law No. 14 of 2025.
- The training addressed key provisions of the law related to individual employment contracts, rights granted to temporary and permanent workers, procedures and rules for dismissal and termination of service, and the legal timeframes for filing lawsuits.
The Committee for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms
- Representatives of trade unions and labor offices in political parties launched an initiative through which trade union organizations in various industrial zones and major cities will monitor the extent of companies’ compliance with the minimum wage decision. This comes in light of the Minister of Labor’s directive to monitor the implementation and compliance of companies and employers with minimum wage regulations.
Second: Professional Unions:
The Journalists’ Syndicate:
- The Freedoms Committee announced its full and unconditional solidarity with the sit-in of colleagues at Al-Bawaba News demanding the implementation of the minimum wage increase.
- The Freedoms Committee organized a solidarity day against the ongoing violations in Darfur, particularly those targeting male and female journalists who are facing killing, torture, disappearance, and persecution as punishment for performing their professional duties.
- The Services and Technology Committee announced the launch of the first employment forum dedicated to the families of journalists, in cooperation with the “Shaghalni” company.
The Lawyers’ Syndicate:
- The Lawyers’ Syndicate began receiving candidacy applications for the first phase of sub-syndicate elections.
- The syndicate also announced that the General Assembly of Lawyers is invited to convene on December 6 at the syndicate’s headquarters in Cairo to discuss several important agenda items, most notably amending the pension value for lawyers and their beneficiaries, and approving the budgets and final accounts of previous years.
Engineers’ Syndicate:
- Engineer Tarek El-Nabarawy, President of the Engineers’ Syndicate, welcomed the statements made by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi regarding the incidents that occurred in some electoral districts during the recent House of Representatives elections.
- El-Nabarawy submitted a formal complaint to the Public Prosecutor on November 8, 2025, against several parliamentary candidates for falsely claiming the professional title of “Engineer” without being legally qualified for it.
- Around 188 engineers signed a petition calling for an extraordinary General Assembly, objecting to the committee supervising the upcoming syndicate elections, asserting that its formation involved “legal and professional irregularities.”
Medical Doctors Syndicate:
- The head of the Doctors’ Syndicate stated that the new Medical Liability Law will allow doctors to practice their profession with confidence and reassurance, without fear of mistakes or punitive consequences, while also guaranteeing patients’ rights.
- Dr. Osama Abdel-Hay, President of the Egyptian Medical Syndicate, participated in the 7th International Conference on Medical Liability organized by the Medical Insurance Authority in Benghazi, Libya. The conference featured an extensive discussion on ways to apply medical liability laws in Arab countries, with the goal of exchanging expertise and reaching a unified legal model that ensures justice and protects both doctors and patients.
The Dental Syndicate:
- The General Syndicate of Dentists confirmed that a wide-ranging meeting was held between the syndicate’s president, Ihab Haikal, and the Minister of Public Enterprise, Engineer Mohamed El-Shimi, with the presence of Ashraf El Kholy the chairman of the Holding Company and Mohamed Ahmed the chairman of Alexandria Pharmaceuticals. The meeting discussed the crisis of dental anesthesia shortages and mechanisms for resolving it fundamentally.
The Veterinarians’ Syndicate:
- Dr. Mamdouh Moawad, President of the National Research Center, and Dr. Magdy Hassan, President of the Veterinary Doctors’ Syndicate, signed a cooperation protocol in fields related to advancing the veterinary medical profession in Egypt, on the sidelines of the First Forum for Supporting Scientific Research in Localizing Industry.
- Dr. Magdy Hassan also participated in a seminar titled “One Health, One World,” organized by the Freedoms Committee at the Journalists’ Syndicate, with the participation of experts in mental health, law, and environmental sciences.
The Pharmacists’ Syndicate
- The syndicate announced the assignment of Ministry of Health employees to work at the syndicate’s headquarters in Garden City to facilitate procedures for issuing licenses to practice pharmacy for the new batch of applicants, as well as applicants from various governorates through representatives of the sub-syndicates.
The General Syndicate of Physiotherapy:
- Dr. Ahmed Ezzat, Treasurer of the General Syndicate of Physical Therapy, renewed the syndicate’s appeal to Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Chairman of the High Committee for Assignments, to swiftly announce the new assignment movement and guarantee the right of the 2023 graduates to serve their country and contribute to the healthcare system.
The Syndicate of Nursing:
- The General Syndicate of Nursing sent an official letter to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Minister of Social Solidarity, and the Minister of Labor, regarding the spread of unaccredited private “academies” that offer fake programs to qualify individuals as “Nursing Assistants” or “Specialized Nursing,” in violation of the laws regulating the profession.
- Dr. Kawthar Mahmoud, President of the Nursing Syndicate, announced the launch of a major awareness campaign targeting all nursing staff nationwide to introduce Medical Liability Law No. 13 of 2025, as the legislative framework that guarantees the rights and duties of healthcare providers while safeguarding patients’ rights.
Section Three: Human Rights Movements and Institutions
Key Activities, Publications, and Initiatives of Human Rights Institutions
The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR):
- The Council welcomed the decision of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) to maintain the Council’s “A” status classification, in accordance with the Paris Principles.
- On 10 November, the Council launched the first day of operations in its operations room dedicated to monitoring the 2025 House of Representatives elections, including the continuation of monitoring Egyptians abroad.
- On 12 November, the Council, in partnership with the Danish Institute for Human Rights, concluded the first meeting on “Formulating Recommendations on the Executive Framework of the Asylum Law No. 164 of 2024.”
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR):
- On 2 November 2025, the Initiative stated in a press release that prominent lawyer and human rights defender Hoda Abdel Moneim has completed seven consecutive years behind bars since her arrest on 1 November 2018. The Initiative expressed grave concern and condemnation of her continued arbitrary detention despite her severely deteriorating health and chronic illnesses that pose a direct threat to her life, calling on Egyptian authorities for her immediate and unconditional release.
- On 6 November, EIPR documented the continuation of the arrest campaign based on religion and belief – ongoing since mid-September – targeting non-believers, atheists, and individuals whose religious views diverge from mainstream beliefs.
- On 8 November, the Initiative condemned the increasing issuance of prison sentences and asset freezes against content creators, as part of the “moral panic” campaign manufactured by the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecution under the pretext of “assaulting Egyptian family values.”
- On 19 November, the Initiative declared that this week marks five full years since the travel bans and asset freezes were imposed on three of its directors.
The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF):
- On 2 November 2025, ECRF strongly condemned the deaths of two young photographers, Kirillos Salah and Magid Hilal, while on assignment at a filming site in Port Said. The incident constitutes a grave violation of the right to life and professional safety, and is a direct responsibility of the implementing company and official supervisory bodies that failed in their oversight duties.
- The “Save Freedom of Expression” campaign also marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (2 November), amid a worsening environment for press freedom in Egypt.
- On 4 November, ECRF strongly condemned the detention of Afghan refugee Abdulhaq Amruddin without legal basis or clear charges, as well as the attempt to deport him forcibly to his country of origin, in explicit violation of Egyptian law and international conventions ratified by Egypt.
- On 9 November, ECRF condemned repeated violations against workers of “Mafco Helwan” Furniture Company, including the company’s refusal to implement the presidential decree on applying the minimum wage in the private sector, and its escalation against protesting workers by suspending six of them.
- On 11 November, ECRF expressed full solidarity with the journalists and workers at Al-Bawaba News who announced their peaceful protest against low wages and the absence of justice within the institution.
- On 12 November, ECRF reported the deteriorating health condition of journalist Mohamed Saad Khattab, which prevented him from attending recent detention-renewal hearings due to severe exhaustion linked to diabetes.
- On 16 November, the “Not Subject to Statute of Limitations” campaign released a new report entitled “Medical Release: A Lost Right!” documenting health care conditions in Egyptian prisons and detention centers from September 2024 to September 2025.
- On 24 November, ECRF highlighted that the decision of the editor-in-chief of Al-Bawaba News to close and liquidate the institution in response to workers’ demands for the minimum wage sheds light on one of the most harmful trends in the Egyptian labor market.
The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS):
- On 7 November, CTUWS held the third round of its program for preparing and training trade union leaders, including four sessions focusing on the Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
- On 12 November, CTUWS reported the collapse of a roof at an under-construction factory in the new industrial zone of al Mahalla al-Kubra, injuring 12 construction workers. Those with superficial injuries were taken to Mahalla General Hospital, while critical cases were transferred to Al-Safwa Private Hospital.
- On 17 November, CTUWS announced a new development: workers at the Geziret al-Dahab and Imbaba water stations joined the ongoing dispute involving Cairo Water and Sanitation Company employees, reiterating the same demands raised by colleagues across dozens of sites.
- On 23 November, CTUWS organized the second training session in Cairo as part of its specialized program to enhance lawyers’ awareness of labor legislation, especially the new Labor Law No. 14 of 2025.
The New Woman Foundation:
Throughout the month, the Foundation held several activities, including:
- A roundtable discussing how rights-based and feminist organizations are responding to the growing trend of digital space control.
- A workshop on “Corporate Social Responsibility,” with the participation of partner associations and unions in Cairo.
- An introductory session on “Social and Solidarity Economy,” in cooperation with the Social and Solidarity Economy Network in the Middle East and North Africa.
- A workshop on corporate social responsibility in Qena, with participation from local unions and civil society organizations.
- Participation in the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, specifically within this year’s campaign “Justice, Not Sympathy,” which tracks and analyzes lenient sentencing in domestic violence and violence against women cases.
Masar – Community for Technology and Law
Masaar published multiple research papers and legal memoranda this month:
- A legal paper reviewing the arguments used by the court to invalidate digital evidence under the Anti-Cybercrime Law No. 175 of 2018 and its executive regulations.
- A practical guide to help lawyers understand technical forensic reports in cybercrime cases: how to read them, analyze them, and when to challenge them.
- A paper proposing the establishment of the Egyptian Data Governance Authority as an independent oversight body with binding regulatory powers applicable to public bodies and contractors providing services.
- A constitutional challenge memo contesting certain powers, particularly those permitting “the recording of conversations in private spaces” and the renewal of surveillance orders “for unlimited successive periods.”
Center for Egyptian Women LegalAssistance (CEWLA):
The center held several activities throughout the month, including:
- Four legal-awareness seminars in different areas (Kom Ashfin, Mohandeseen, and Kerdasa) with 120 women and girls participating.
- A training workshop on the organization’s proposed personal status law, as part of the National Alliance activities.
- A roundtable on “Law and Psychiatry: Shared Responsibility in Protecting Survivors of Sexual Crimes,” discussing the psychological impacts of sexual violence.
- A panel discussion at Bayt Al-Sinnari in Sayyida Zainab titled: “Feminist Resilience in the Face of the Climate Crisis.”
- A roundtable in Minya discussing the organization’s proposed personal status law.
- A statement calling for improved representation of women in the Bar Association and the adoption of positive measures to ensure fair and effective participation.
Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR):
- On 18 November, ECESR reported that the State Council has obliged the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to call for elections for tourist guides, without waiting for the ordinary general assembly.
- On 21 November, coinciding with ECESR’s legal efforts to protect the Pyramids area, the Center emphasized the importance of drawing on international experiences in heritage preservation.
- On 24 November, the Center issued a new study titled: “Do the Poor Pay for the Privileges of the Rich?”
Joint Human Rights Activities:
- On 10 November 2025, independent human rights organizations expressed concern over the rise in “punishment by proxy,” in which Egyptian security agencies target the families of activists and dissidents living abroad—a trend that has sharply escalated recently.
- On 17 November, human rights organizations demanded the immediate release of lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights Hoda Abdel Moneim, who has endured severe abuse and legal persecution for more than seven years. They stressed that her life-threatening medical condition makes her deserving of immediate release.
- On 22 November, 22 human rights organizations stated that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights must take decisive action in response to Egypt’s prolonged and deteriorating human rights crisis, following its review of Egypt’s human rights record.
- On 22 November, rights organizations also expressed their full solidarity with the demands of water and sanitation workers in Cairo, Giza, Sharqiya, Beni Suef, and Minya—who have staged protests calling for implementation of the minimum wage, payment of overdue bonuses since 2016, and permanent employment for temporary workers.
Violations and Harassment:
Detention Renewals
- On 27 October 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to renew the detention of three defendants for 15 days pending different cases: Hatem Moawad Ismail, Ashraf Sayed Mohamed, and Fattouh Ahmed Al-Bary.
- On 3 November, the Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered the 15-day detention of lawyer Ruwaida Mohamed El-Sayed, who was placed in Rehabilitation Center 4 at the 10th of Ramadan Prison.
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution also renewed the detention of El-Sayed Sobhi Ahmed Eid in Case No. 6468/2025 and Ayman Abdelrahman Mohamed Afifi in Case No. 7143/2025 (Supreme State Security).
- On 12 November, the State Security Prosecution ordered the 15-day detention of lawyer Osama El-Sheshtawy on charges of joining (a banned group) and publishing (false news) in Case No. 4884/2025 (Supreme State Security). On 23 November, the Prosecution decided to continue his detention.
Trials:
- On 3 November 2025, the Port Said Labor Court referred the lawsuit filed by worker and trade unionist Mahmoud Youssef against Saba Ready-Made Garments Company to the Ministry of Justice’s Expert Office to examine the dispute and prepare a technical report.
- On 9 November, the Second Terrorism Circuit of the Criminal Court postponed 10 cases before it to later dates due to the inability to bring any of the defendants to the courtroom.