"Today is the anniversary of the day an Egyptian court sentenced me to five years in prison. My “crime”: working for an international organization that supports human rights and democracy.

It’s now been five years since I packed a small suitcase and left my country, thinking I would be back in a few weeks. Five years – almost the full term of my sentence – have gone by since I decided to live in exile in the United States, where I aimed to continue my work defending democracy and human rights. I cannot go back to the home I long for – although it has to be said that Egypt is no longer the same place I left. Today, under the harsh regime of President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, its citizens confront unprecedented levels of repression and economic decline...

We have no choice but to work for a better Egypt. We did not give up under Mubarak when the entire world was backing his oppressive regime, and we will not give up to the current one. We hope that the world won’t give up on us either."

Read the full story from Nancy on the Washington Post website