AFTE’s Newsletter: September 2022

Date : Sunday, 2 October, 2022

In September, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) monitored the state and problems of freedom of thought and expression in Egypt. Through its various units’ activities, AFTE issued statements and reports that take a deeper look at some of the issues of freedom of thought and expression currently raised and provided legal aid in cases related to freedom of thoughts and expression.

1. Publications:

AFTE published a detailed report on the targeting of detained pharmacist Omar Mahmoud al-Hout, where AFTE sheds light on the prolonged and continuous security and judicial targeting of Al-Hout against the backdrop of his activism at the university, even though he quit public work before his arrest, and rotating him into six different lawsuits and being in detention for more than eight years.

AFTE released Waiting for a presidential pardon for detained journalist Mohamed Oxygen report to mark 3 years since Oxygen was detained, to show the extent of violations committed against him and to demand an end to the restriction of his freedom and prosecution over his journalistic work.

3. Joint Statements:

AFTE undersigned the following statement in September:

In a joint statement, AFTE and other human rights organizations call on the Attorney General to close Case No. 19 of 2022 (Cairo Appeal Investigations) involving four women journalists from Mada Masr, Lina Atallah, Rana Mamdouh, Bissan Kassab, and Sarah Seif El-Din, drop charges against them and close the criminal case.

AFTE and other human rights organizations, in their joint statement, condemned the arrest of political activist and leading member of the 6th April youth movement, Sherif Al-Roubi, just three months after his release, after a year and a half of pretrial detention. and assert that the continuation of these practices belies allegations by some about a human rights breakthrough in Egypt and contradicts the declared efforts of the Presidential Amnesty Committee and its endeavor to release political detainees.

In this statement, AFTE demands a prompt release of Yehia Helwa, a political activist and member of the Bread and Freedom Party (under establishment), who spent two years in remand detention without being released or responding to repeated requests to provide him with the appropriate health care, allow him to undertake the necessary medical tests and x-rays or even the entry of medications provided by his family.

Statement Ahead of COP27, Open Civic Space and Release Everyone Arbitrarily Detained in Egypt calling for an end to the prosecution of activists and civil society organizations, including human rights defenders to act without fear of arrest, detention, or any other form of reprisal, including an end to the travel ban and asset freeze, and close all cases against human rights defenders for their human right work.

The undersigned human rights organizations in this statement call on the Egyptian authorities to intervene quickly to end the detention of blogger and journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Radwan, known as Mohamed Oxygen, stop all forms of violations he faces inside the prison, and hold accountable all those involved in committing these violations that contravene the law and the constitution.

On the third anniversary of the arrest of Mohamed el-Baqer and Alaa Abdel Fattah, AFTE and human rights organizations call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately drop all charges, close all cases involving them, and promptly release el-Baqer and Abdel Fattah.

3. Legal Aid:

– For the 10th time; Supreme State Security Prosecution renews Tv presenter Hala Fahmy’s detention for 15 days
– Criminal Court renews the detention of journalist Hamdy Elzaeem and Mohamed Elsaeed Salama for 45 days
– After posting videos about Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam; Criminal Court renews the detention of El-Hussaini Farghaly for 45 days
– Criminal Court renews the detention of Ahmed Moussa Abdel Khaleq for 45 days
– After exceeding three years in detention; the Criminal Court renews the detention of lawyer Amr Nohan for 45 days
– Criminal Court renews the detention of lawyer Mohamed Abdel-Fatah who suffers from leukemia for 45 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews the detention of two brothers Asharaf and Ahmed Ashry for 15 days
– Mada Masr Journalists Lina Attalah, Rana Mamdouh, Bissan Kassab, and Sarah Seif Eldin released on bails ranging between 5,000 and 20,000 EGP
– Criminal Court renews Ahmed Hassanein Mohamed Moussa’s pretrial detention for 45 days
– After more than three years in pretrial detention; Belal Abdel Razek released under guarantee of his place of residence
– After more than two years in pretrial detention; Ahmed Maher Ezzat “Rigo” released under guarantee of his place of residence
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews the pretrial detention of four students participants in Batman Helwan event
– For posting video on TikTok; Supreme State Security Prosecution renews student El-Amir Fahim Ahmed’s detention for 15 days

– Because of Facebook posts; Supreme State Security Prosecution renews journalist Mohamed Fawzy Mosaad’s detention for 15 days
– Criminal Court renews Hamed Sedeek’s detention, who will complete 3 years in pretrial detention within a few days for 45 days
– Gamal Mohamed Salama released, under the guarantee of his place of residence
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews the detention of two brothers Asharaf and Ahmed Ashry for 15 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews journalist Mohamed Fawzy Mosaad’s detention for 15 days because of Facebook posts
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews singer El-Amir Fahim’s detention for 15 days for wearing military uniform in a video
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews the detention of four students participants in Batman Helwan event
– Administrative Judiciary Court adjourns hearing of appeal against dismissing detainee student Omar Mohamed Ali from Thebes Higher Institute of Engineering to October 16
– Zagazig Criminal Court renews Omar Al-Hout’s detention for 45 days
– After three months of his release; Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed Sherif El-Rouby’s detention for 15 days pending a new case
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews the detention of visual artist Amir Abdel Ghani for 15 days

#PresidentialPardonForOxygen Campaign

In conjunction with the 3rd anniversary of Mohamed Oxygen, AFTE launched the #PresidentialPardonForOxygen Campaign that which includes a detailed report on the legal prosecution he was subjected to, in addition to an introductory video and a joint statement with several human rights organizations calling for his release.

an explanatory video showing what Oxygen has been though since his arrest until now

Latest Update

AFTE files a lawsuit against the Faculty of Arts at Banha University for its refusal to appoint a teaching assistant despite her eligibility

AFTE’s Weekly Legal Bulletin (7:14 April 2024)|: Release of two defendants who were arrested for participating in pro-Gaza demonstrations in front of the Journalists Syndicate and renewal of the detention of a mosque’s custodian pending investigations

Supreme State Security releases Ahmed Abdel Karim after his arrest for participating in a protest against the war in Gaza

State Security Prosecution Released Mustafa Ramadan who is imprisoned due to his participation in a demonstration of solidarity with Palestine in front of the Journalists Syndicate

AFTE’s Weekly Legal Bulletin (31 March: 7 April 2024)| Two persons were detained for demonstrating in support of Gaza in front of the Journalists Syndicate, and renewal of the detention of 4 others, including academic Ahmed AlTohamy