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Wafa Ben-Hassine

MENA Policy Counsel
Global Policy Counsel

Wafa Ben-Hassine leads Access Now’s policy and advocacy arms in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) as the organization’s local Policy Counsel. Wafa is also a Global Policy Counsel, engaging on and advocating for global digital rights issues within United Nations institutions and other multilateral organizations. Most recently, she completed an Open Technology Fund fellowship at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, where she researched counter-terrorism and cybercrime laws in select Arab countries and their impact on various human rights. Prior to her fellowship, Wafa has interned at the Appeals Chamber of the Special Tribunal of Lebanon in The Hague and the U.S. Department of State Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in drafting its annual human rights reports. Wafa received her JD from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, and her BA in Political Science from the University of California San Diego. Wafa is licensed to practice law by the state bar of New York. More than anything, Wafa loves the internet, classical music, and lemon sorbet.

Silencing the few voices left: Egypt blocks 21 news websites

30 May 2017

More than 20 civil society organizations have joined forces to condemn Egypt’s censorship of news websites.

Press Release
Silencing the few voices left: Egypt blocks 21 news websites
30 May 2017
Silencing the few voices left: Egypt blocks 21 news websites
Vietnam: Immediately release Pham Doan Trang

Joint statement: Silencing the few voices left: Egypt blocks 21 news websites

30 May 2017
Publication
Joint statement: Silencing the few voices left: Egypt blocks 21 news websites
30 May 2017
Joint statement: Silencing the few voices left: Egypt blocks 21 news websites

La Tunisie envisage de créer une carte d’identité nationale biométrique

26 May 2017

Qu’est-ce que c’est concrètement et quels sont les enjeux pour la vie privée?

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La Tunisie envisage de créer une carte d’identité nationale biométrique
26 May 2017
La Tunisie envisage de créer une carte d’identité nationale biométrique

Tunisia ratifies Convention 108 and affirms commitment to the protection of personal data

17 May 2017

In a country where both private and public entities exercise rampant disregard for citizens’ personal data, it is profoundly reassuring to see the Convention ratified.

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Tunisia ratifies Convention 108 and affirms commitment to the protection of personal data
17 May 2017
Tunisia ratifies Convention 108 and affirms commitment to the protection of personal data
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There is always light: Manal Bahey Al-Din Hassan on digital rights in Egypt

13 Apr 2017

Even with Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah behind bars, the digital rights community in Egypt is strong, and getting stronger.

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There is always light: Manal Bahey Al-Din Hassan on digital rights in Egypt
13 Apr 2017
There is always light: Manal Bahey Al-Din Hassan on digital rights in Egypt
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Access Now calls on Trump administration not to focus anti-extremism programs on Islam

8 Feb 2017

Discrimination against a single religious group violates the U.S. Constitution and international human rights obligations.

Press Release
Access Now calls on Trump administration not to focus anti-extremism programs on Islam
8 Feb 2017
Access Now calls on Trump administration not to focus anti-extremism programs on Islam
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Jordan is arresting people for criticizing the government on social media

26 Jan 2017

The government is using terrorism as an excuse to clamp down on human rights. This has to stop.

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Jordan is arresting people for criticizing the government on social media
26 Jan 2017
Jordan is arresting people for criticizing the government on social media

Tunisia’s new ID card: a looming disaster for personal data

18 Nov 2016

A “black box” ID card that carries personal data could be used to trample on Tunisians’ rights.

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Tunisia’s new ID card: a looming disaster for personal data
18 Nov 2016
Tunisia’s new ID card: a looming disaster for personal data