Loss of Guiding Values and Support: September 11 and the Isolation of Human Rights Organizations in Egypt

Abstract

Since September 11, the Egyptian government has successfully exploited the argument of international security in order to fight its domestic opponents. Human rights organizations, in particular, have been accused of Islamist leanings and of supporting radical movements. As a result of these accusations, international donors have suspended their support for human rights NGOs, thereby threatening their very existence. While September 11 appears to have been the turning point, the origins of the campaign against the alliances between human rights organizations and international donors go back much further. The key to a deeper understanding of the dramatic developments in Egypt's civil society can be found in the complex relationships between donors, NGOs and the Egyptian government.