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About

Mission

The Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC) is a U.S.-based nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy organization that works with the people of the Middle East and North Africa to challenge authoritarian systems, free the unjustly detained, and advocate for U.S. policies that protect human rights and advance a bold vision for democracy.

Vision

MEDC envisions a Middle East and North Africa where democracy, human rights, and the freedoms of all people are upheld and protected.

We advance this vision through three interconnected goals and associated hubs:

  1. Unjust Detention: Pursue justice, freedom, and accountability for the unjustly detained and persecuted in the MENA region.
  2. Countering Authoritarianism: Expose and counter authoritarian tactics, trends, and narratives of MENA governments and their enablers.
  3. Democracy Matters: Articulate and advance a bold vision for why democracy matters in the MENA region.

The work of these hubs is publicly supported by the advocacy and communications teams and is led by a Managing Director and an Executive Director

Hubs

Unjust
Detention

The Unjust Detention hub pursues justice, freedom, and accountability for the unjustly detained and persecuted in the MENA region.
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Countering
Authoritarianism

The Countering Authoritarianism hub exposes and counters authoritarian tactics, trends, and narratives of MENA governments and their enablers.
Read More

Democracy
Matters

The Democracy Matters Initiative articulates and advances a bold vision for why democracy matters in the MENA region.
Read More

Origin

MEDC was founded in 2024, a merger of the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and the Freedom Initiative, two organizations with more than 25 years of combined efforts to support democracy and freedom in the Middle East and North Africa. The merger arose at an inflection point of rising authoritarianism and human rights violations across the MENA region, issuing a clarion call that the region must not be exempt from the global reckoning between democracy and autocracy. Widespread calls for dignity, justice, and freedom have been met with brutality, empty rhetoric, war, and resurgent authoritarianism that has left many displaced, disillusioned, and with little hope for their future.  The founding of MEDC aims to turn the tide, making the case that freeing the unjustly detained and rebuilding constituencies for democratic norms are essential for the region’s peace and security, as well as vital strategic interests for the U.S. government.

Who We Are

The MEDC team is a diverse group of leaders, experts, and advocates from the United States, the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world.

Meet Our:

Principles

Human rights are universal and inalienable.

All people have inherent dignity and equal and inalienable human rights, which are the basis for freedom, justice, and peace.

Democracy is a universal value that functions differently in every country in which it is practiced.

Each country’s citizens, through deliberative processes, have the right to determine the specific nature of their democracy. This diversity is a central reason why democracy can be adopted successfully by any society.

Freeing the unjustly detained and ending arbitrary persecution is fundamental to establishing democratic and human rights-respecting societies.

Unjust detention and persecution is the exemplification of authoritarian efforts to silence dissent and suppress fundamental freedoms. Justice and accountability are necessary for achieving freedom for all people.

Democracy cannot be imposed.

Support for democracy and human rights cannot come through military force and forcible regime change. Ultimately, stable and secure democracies in the Middle East can only be built from within.

Supporting democracy and human rights in the MENA region is a core U.S. strategic interest.

Continued support for the Middle East’s authoritarian status quo will jeopardize U.S. national security and economic interests. As countries become more repressive, they become less reliable U.S. partners, thwarting vital interests both in the short and long term.

The United States must consistently hold all states accountable to the same democracy and human rights standards.

America has a credibility gap because it often tolerates authoritarian behavior by its allies while calling for democracy and regime change in its adversaries. By consistently supporting democracy and human rights, the United States can overcome this legacy and repair its credibility gap.

Every political community has the right to govern itself democratically through free, fair, and open processes and institutions. as well as U.S. foreign policy toward these issues.

This diversity is a central reason why democracy is a universal value and can be adopted successfully by any society. Each country’s citizens, through deliberative processes, have the right to determine the specific nature of their democracy.

The United States was founded on principles of democratic governance and freedom of expression, yet its policy towards the Middle East has often sacrificed democracy at the altar of other interests. To be true to its founding principles, the United States must consistently and credibly support democracy abroad.

Continued support for the Middle East’s authoritarian status quo will jeopardize American national security and economic interests. While genuinely promoting democracy requires the courage to bear short-term risks, free and open political processes will ultimately reduce incentives to resort to violence.

The billions of dollars the United States provides to Middle Eastern governments each year in military aid and economic assistance reflects America’s substantial and enduring interests in the region and preclude any pretense of neutrality on democracy. The United States must carefully examine the consequences of its actions on political reform.

America has a credibility gap on democracy because it often tolerates authoritarian behavior by friendly regimes while calling for democracy and regime changes in unfriendly ones. By consistently supporting democracy, the United States will begin to overcome this legacy and repair its credibility gap.

In the short term, free and fair elections may result in some governments that are less favorable to U.S. interests. Regardless, American must respect democratic processes. The long-term benefits of improved credibility and democracy outweigh the short-term costs.

Engagement through peaceful means, such as dialogue and diplomacy, is the only legitimate and effective way to promote democracy in the region. The United States can and will help but, ultimately, stable and secure democracies in the Middle East can only be built from within.

Support Our Work

Donate now to help support democratic reform and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa.

Your support helps MEDC continue our expert analysis and research, nonpartisan advocacy efforts, and partnerships with grassroots organizations in the MENA region.