Egyptian journalist wins international human rights award

Egyptian journalist Khalid El-Balshy won the 2017 Individual Activist prize at the Nelson Mandela – Graca Machel Innovation Awards yesterday. The Nelson Mandela award for human rights defenders is offered by CIVICUS international alliance, which includes 200 civil society organisations and hundreds of human rights activists around the world. The award is presented on behalf of the late South African leader Nelson Mandela and his widow Graça Michel.

“In a nation where media freedom is under constant attack, Khaled has boldly and relentlessly pursued the cause of free speech, despite facing personal judicial and online harassment,” the award citation read. “He established the Front to Defend Journalists and Freedoms, which has succeeded in having several journalists released from detention. He has also sought every available platform to shine a light on violations by the government and share these with the world, and has actively mentored younger journalists to defend their own rights and the rights of others.”

El-Balshy used Facebook to describe the award as “a message of appreciation to all the press freedom advocates in Egypt.” He added that it is also a message to imprisoned journalists, letting them know that “their voices are still able to penetrate the walls of the prison.”

The Egyptian authorities have repeatedly denied any violations of the media and journalists’ freedom of expression in the country.

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The chief editor of the local Al Bedaiah online newspaper won the award in a field of 300 candidates from around the world. He will be honoured at a ceremony on 7 December in the Republic of Fiji.

Former Irish President Mary Robinson commented on El-Balshy’s efforts: “Many strong changes start with seeing a brave individual, and we celebrate Khalid’s courage and we want him to know that The Elders are backing him.” The Elders is an “international non-governmental organisation of public figures noted as elder statesmen, peace activists and human rights advocates, who were brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007.”

In March, an Egyptian court sentenced El-Balshy to a one-year suspended sentence over accusations of inciting protests, and defending journalists wanted by the authorities. During the same trial the former head of Egypt’s Journalists Syndicate, Yehia Kalash, and a member of the syndicate board, Gamal Abdel Rahim, faced the same charges.