On 13 December, the European Parliament adopted a resolution taking stock of the human rights situation in Egypt. The members of Parliament (MEPs) strongly condemned the continuous restrictions on fundamental democratic rights in Egypt, including freedom of expression, association and assembly, political pluralism and the rule of law. They also called on the Egyptian authorities to drop all existing baseless criminal investigations into the work of non-governmental organisations. The resolution expresses MEPs’ serious concern at the mass trials by Egyptian courts and the large number of death sentences and long prison terms handed down, including against people under 18 at the time of their alleged offence.