The Law and Democracy Support Foundation

The Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF) is an independent human rights organisation based in Berlin. It was founded by exiled Egyptian lawyers, journalists, and human rights defenders after the closure of the Egyptian Group for Legal Aid and Support due to severe security risks in Egypt. The organisation’s core focus is transnational repression, as well as freedom of expression and press freedom in the MENA region. LDSF is a founding member of the Coalition Against Transnational Repression in Germany.

LDSF supports human rights defenders at risk through secure case documentation, legal and policy analysis, and the preparation of briefings and policy papers that feed into German, European Union, and United Nations protection and accountability mechanisms. LDSF also engages in policy-oriented advocacy and coalition-based institutional engagement aimed at safeguarding human rights defenders at risk. In collaboration with international partners, LDSF has contributed to protection oriented initiatives supporting the well-being of human rights defenders in exile, including temporarily hosting at-risk defenders, as well as psychosocial and resilience support mechanisms.