Profile: Heba Morayef, guardian of rights in post-revolutionary Egypt

Nominated for Time's prestigious top 100 list, Human Rights Watch country director talks about the ongoing fight for freedoms in Egypt

Ahram Online

"From antagonising ruling generals to eating doughnuts with Mubarak ministers, meet Human Rights Watch Egypt Director Heba Morayef, once described by a US radio station as Egypt's guardian of human decency.


A familiar face of civil society, Morayef, who prefers to hide behind her work, was propelled into the spotlight when she was nominated for Time's Top 100, alongside internationally renowned comedian Bassem Youssef and President Mohamed Morsi himself.

Although slightly embarrassed that her name appeared on the potential list of "most influential people in the world" Morayef does admit that her presence there is a good sign.

"I think it's interesting that one of the people on that list is from the human rights community – that's something that President Mohamed Morsi, if he ever hears about it, perhaps should think on," Morayef says from the control room of HRW in Cairo's walled-in district of Garden City......"