During the previous month, 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 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:
Publication of a paper entitled “Parliament without people!.. Position paper on the necessity of making the Egyptian parliament sessions available publicly on television and the internet” in this paper AFTE reiterates the necessity of broadcasting the parliament sessions publicly, as per Article 120 of the Constitution which states that the sessions shall be held in public. The sessions should be also available on the parliament’s website in audio, visual and print formats for the public.
2. Statements:
Publication of a statement entitled “On the 10th Anniversary of the Revolution, Stop Imprisoning Artists and Creative People” In the statement AFTE calls on the Egyptian authorities to release cartoonist Ashraf Hamdy, who was arrested on Monday 25 January 2021, on the 10thanniversary of the Egyptian revolution. It also calls on the authorities to stop cracking down on artists and creative people and charging them for doing their work and exercising their right to expression and creativity.
3. Legal Aid:
– Renewing the detention of “Ahmed Hassanein Mohamed Moussa” for 45 days
– Yahya Ayman Ahmed Faramawi, a cancer patient, released after nearly two years of pre-trial detention
– Renewing the detention of “Esraa Abdel Fattah” for 45 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution detains “Abdu Fayed and Hossam Elsadany” for 45 days
– Renewing the detention of members of “Al Destour Party in Sharqia” for 45 days
– Renewing the detention of “five defendants” for 45 days pending investigations
