The undersigned human rights organizations condemn the recycling of human rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan into a new case for the second time. This comes after the Supreme State Security Prosecution remanded him for 15 days in custody on 15 June in connection with Case No. 910 of 2021.
The undersigned organizations call on the Public Prosecution to release Ramadan immediately, given his poor health condition and the fact that he is targeted because of his human rights work and views.
On 13 June, the Cairo Criminal Court decided to release Ramadan pending investigations, in Case No. 467 of 2020, into which he was recycled after his release pending investigations in Case No. 16576 of 2018. This approach indicates the insistence of the security services, with the complicity of the Supreme State Security Prosecution, to use pretrial detention to abuse human rights defenders and peaceful opponents.
Ramadan has been held in pretrial detention for nearly two and a half years. He has not been referred to trial, and no evidence for the accusations levelled against him has been provided. He faced the same charges repeatedly despite the diversity of cases he was involved in. These charges included joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and using a social media account for the purpose of carrying out a crime.
Ramadan suffers from a coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and persistent pain in the knees. His request to get medical care, have a medical examination and enable his family to visit him has been approved, but he is still being held in a poorly ventilated ward.
The undersigned organizations call on the Ministry of Interior to provide an adequate place of detention for Ramadan. They also renew their call for Public Prosecutor Hamada al-Sawy to immediately release Ramadan, taking his poor health condition into account, and to drop all the charges levelled against him, as he is imprisoned for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
Undersigned organizations:
The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms
El Nadeem Centre
The Freedom Initiative
Egyptian Front for Human Rights
The Regional Center for Rights and Liberties
Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms
