8 March 2026
The poet Galal El-Behairy, currently held in pre trial detention, awaits the commencement of his trial proceedings. The Supreme State Security Prosecution referred him to criminal trial in October 2025 in cases No. 2369 of 2023 and No. 3391 of 2023, Supreme State Security. El-Behairy is entitled to immediate release, given that he has spent eight years in detention across various cases, all arising from his artistic works.
The first case, No. 2369 of 2023 Supreme State Security, dates back to August 19, 2025, when the Prosecution summoned him from his prison cell for an investigation. He was charged with joining a terrorist organization while knowing its objectives, committing a terrorism financing crime, and spreading false news and statements intended to harm public security and order. The prosecution confronted him with the National Security investigation report, but presented no material evidence supporting these charges.
Following the investigation, the prosecution ordered his detention for fifteen days pending investigations, to commence after his release from the case in which he was then held. The prosecution eventually referred the case to the Criminal Court; however, the final definitive charges brought against him remain unknown to his lawyers, as the case files have not yet been transmitted to the competent Court of Appeal, which is responsible for assigning the circuit that would examine the case and scheduling the first trial session. El-Behairy was informed of the referral decision in October 2025.
The prosecution also investigated El-Behairy in the second case, No. 3391 of 2023, Supreme State Security, on 28 August 2025. He was charged with participating in a terrorist organization in pursuit of its objectives and committing a terrorism financing crime. He was confronted solely with the National Security investigation report. The Prosecution ordered his detention for fifteen days pending investigation, to commence after the Court’s verdict in case No. 2369 of 2023, Supreme State Security (the one mentioned above).
Similarly, this case was referred to the Criminal Court. The final charges remain unknown for the same procedural reasons related to the delayed submission of files to the Court of Appeal. He was notified of the referral in October 2025.
The prosecution also renewed his detention in the original case No. 2000 of 2021, Supreme State Security. The prosecution investigated him on 5 September 2021, and charged him with the same charges for which he had previously been punished in one case and released in another. He remained in pre-trial detention following consecutive decisions from the prosecution and the Criminal Court (the Council Chamber) until the latest decision issued on 8 October 2025.
Since he was referred in the new cases, he has not been brought before the court to review his detention, which suggests he was released in these cases, as the latest referral decision specified his detention “pending trial” in the new cases. However, the prosecution’s final decision cannot be confirmed with certainty, as it didn’t permit official inquiries.
His detention began on March 3, 2018, when he was arrested while traveling based on two arrest warrants (military and civilian). He was tried before a military court in case No. 4 of 2018 and sentenced to three years against charges of publishing a poetry book and insulting the military establishment. Simultaneously, the Supreme State Security Prosecution investigated him in case No. 480 of 2018, ordered his detention, and later replaced it with precautionary measures in April 2019, culminating in a release order in February 2020.
Although he completed the three‑year prison sentence on July 31, 2021, he remained unlawfully detained in Kafr Shukr Police Station and a National Security facility until his reappearance in September 2021 in connection with case No. 2000 of 2021.
Based on the foregoing facts, Galal El-Behairy is entitled to release, subject to his commitment to attend his trial sessions as scheduled. This is especially urgent given the harsh detention conditions he has endured for eight years as a direct consequence of his artistic contributions.
