AFTE’s Newsletter (December 2025 – January 2026)

First: Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression in 2025: Defending the Right to Freedom of Association

In 2025, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) faced numerous obstacles amid its transition into a registered civil society organization under the Law Regulating Civil Work. After an 11-month wait, the association’s registered bank account was finally activated in May 2025. In the same month, AFTE’s Executive Director was subjected to a security stop at Cairo International Airport, during which his passport was confiscated, before being returned later following international condemnations.

In the second half of 2025, the Ministry of Social Solidarity imposed multiple administrative obstacles, as ministry officials delayed receiving the documentation related to two grants awarded to the association. By the end of 2025, AFTE received a letter rejecting both grants without providing any justification. As a result, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression lost all the financial resources necessary to activate its activities throughout 2025.

Despite this campaign against the association, AFTE managed to continue its work for several months thanks to volunteer efforts in providing legal assistance and organizing discussions related to its areas of work. At present, AFTE continues to offer legal aid, follow up on the grievance submitted to the Ministry of Social Solidarity regarding the acceptance of the grants, and prepare for further activities in defense of the right to freedom of association.

For more information, please refer to the following links:

• Statement by AFTE: National Security confiscates the passport of AFTE Executive Director Mohamed Abdel Salam after subjecting him to unlawful questioning at Cairo International Airport.
• Statement by the IFEX network, comprising more than 100 organizations worldwide: IFEX calls on the Egyptian authorities to cease targeting human rights defender Mohamed Abdel Salam.
• Joint statement by a group of international organizations: Egypt: The state must stop harassing Mohamed Abdel Salam and the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression.
• Article published on Al-Manassa: Suffocating civil society organizations between the corridors of the Ministry of “Social Solidarity” and the maze of the “competent authorities.”
• Amnesty International report: Egypt: The stifling restrictions imposed on independent civil society organizations must be repealed.

Second: Legal Aid (December 2025)

• The trial of photojournalist Hamdy Mokhtar and defendant Alaa Mansour was postponed to March 25, 2026 to continue hearing prosecution witnesses after more than four years in pretrial detention.
• The detention of Mohamed Mostafa Sayed Saleh was renewed for 15 days after nearly a month of unlawful detention before being presented to the prosecution.
• AFTE filed a lawsuit against Aswan University demanding the appointment of Dr. Haitham Abd El-Baqy as a lecturer in Cardiothoracic Surgery following an unjustified security rejection.
• The criminal court renewed the detention of Mohamed Fathallah Zayan for 45 days over a video from a conference of former presidential candidate Ahmed Tantawi.
• The detention of Mahmoud Sanousi was renewed for 15 days on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.
• The case of Ahmed Abd El-Rahman with the Actors’ Syndicate was postponed to February 22, 2026 after the syndicate refused to register him as an active member.
• The detention of Osama El-Sheshtawy was renewed for 15 days due to protest posts on Facebook.
• After nearly 5 years in pretrial detention, the trial of Karim Salem was postponed to February 15, 2026.
• The travel ban on researcher Ahmed Samir Santawy continues, and the appeal has been scheduled for January 24, 2026, despite a presidential pardon issued in his favor.
• After more than 3 years in pretrial detention, the trial of Mohamed Omar El-Sayed was postponed to February 23, 2026, in violation of the legal maximum detention period.
• Cairo University appealed a ruling in favor of a client of AFTE, seeking to overturn the rejection of her appointment as a teaching assistant for security-related reasons.
• In violation of criminal procedure law, the detention of an Al-Azhar student was renewed for 45 days despite exceeding two years in pretrial detention.
• Amir Sayed Mohamed and Riyad Abdel Rahman, fans of Zamalek Club, remain in detention for over two years on baseless charges.
• The trial of Mohamed Al-Qassas was postponed to February 2, 2026, in his third case with the same charges, with a complaint filed regarding poor detention conditions.
• The detention of Hamed Sadiq was renewed for 45 days after over five years in pretrial detention without trial.
• The detention of Ahmed Abu Sateet was renewed for 45 days for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations.
• The hearing of Dr. Ahmed El-Tohamy was postponed to February 7, 2026, due to failure to transfer him from prison after more than four years in pretrial detention.
• The court ordered a medical examination for Marwa Arafa and postponed continuation of witness testimony due to her critical health condition.
• Two construction workers from Qalyubia were detained for 15 days on charges of spreading false news and joining a terrorist group.
• The detention of Mahmoud Abu Saree was renewed after more than two years in pretrial detention, without any confiscated evidence.
• The detention of Ahmed Oraby was renewed on charges of spreading false news along with other accusations related to posts criticizing living conditions.

Third: Legal Aid (January 2026)

• Administrative Judiciary Reserves Case of Dr. Haitham Abdel-Baqy Against the President of Aswan University for Ruling on 17 March 2026, seeking his appointment as a lecturer in cardiothoracic surgery after an unjustified security rejection.
• Cairo Criminal Court Adjourns the Trial of Abdullah Hany Mohamed Said to 14 April 2026 to hear prosecution witnesses in a case involving charges of joining a terrorist group.
• Administrative Judiciary Refers the Appeal of Dr. Walid Al-Hamamsy, lecturer at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, to the State Commissioners Authority, following a decision to suspend him from work without notifying him of disciplinary hearings.
• The trial of Mohamed Mohamed Hamed, Moataz Bellah Hassab Al-Naby, and Osama Abu Al-Hassan Hegazy is adjourned to 11 March 2026 to hear the prosecution’s pleadings in Case No. 965 of 2021 (Supreme State Security).
• Cairo Criminal Court Adjourns the Session to Hear Remaining Witnesses in Ramy Darwish’s Case to 25 March 2026, amid objections by the defense to restrictions on examining prosecution witnesses.
• Cairo Criminal Court Renews the Detention of Student Abdelrahman Safwat Mohamedin for 45 Days, despite the release of most defendants in the same case who share the same legal status.
• The Appellate Administrative Court at the State Council Reserves the Appeal Against the Ruling in Favor of Our Client Regarding Her Appointment as a Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Dentistry, for judgment on 28 February 2026.
• Cairo Criminal Court Adjourns the Trial of Amr Khamis to 19 April 2026 to hear the testimony of National Security officers.
• The trial of Khaled Abdel-Wahed Amin, a member of Ahmed Al-Tantawi’s presidential campaign, is adjourned to 2 March 2026 to hear prosecution witnesses.
• The trial of Ismail Khaled Al-Imbaby is adjourned to 2 March 2026, after more than two years in pretrial detention since his arrest following attendance at a football match.
• The Ministry of Higher Education Appeals the Ruling Issued in Favor of Dr. Manar Al-Tantawy Regarding Her Promotion to the Rank of Professor, after more than four years of legal disputes.
• Cairo Criminal Court Renews the Detention of Blogger and Journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Radwan (“Mohamed Oxygen”) for 45 Days, despite having completed a previous prison sentence, in continuation of the practice known as “recycling” cases.
• Cairo Criminal Court Renews the Detention of Zamalek Club Fans Amir Sayed and Mohamed Riyad for 45 Days, despite exceeding two years in pretrial detention.
• The Supreme State Security Prosecution Renews the Detention of Mahmoud Mostafa Sanousy Abdel-Aal for 15 Days pending investigations.
• The Supreme State Security Prosecution Orders the Release of Hamed Seddek on Residence Guarantee, after more than five years in pretrial detention without trial in two cases involving identical charges.
• Cairo Criminal Court Renews the Detention of Ali Mohamed Ali Abu Al-Magd, a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Sharia and Law, Al-Azhar University, for 45 days, despite exceeding the two-year maximum limit for pretrial detention in violation of Article 143 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
• Cairo Criminal Court Renews the Detention of Ahmed Hussein Ahmed Abu Steit for 45 Days, in connection with his participation in demonstrations in support of Palestine on 20 October 2023.