During the last month (June), the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) monitored the state and problems of freedom of thought and expression in Egypt. Through the activities of the various units, AFTE issued papers that take a deeper look at some of the issues of freedom of thought and expression currently raised, and also provided legal aid in cases related to freedom of thought and expression.
1. Publications:
Publication of a paper entitled “Internet without surveillance .. How can the Egyptian government end the policy of mass surveillance?” the paper discusses the Egyptian government’s policy in monitoring internet users, in light of laws that the security agencies use to control user data
Publication of a paper entitled “Not authorized for them A paper on the crisis of the legalize file of the press websites” This paper depends on analyzing the laws related to regulating the press and media and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR)
Publication of a paper entitled “The Internet and the Law in Egypt Series (First Part: Centralization of Telecommunications)” This paper is based on the legal analysis of the legislative structure of telecommunications in Egypt, namely the Telecommunication Regulation Law, the Law on Combating Information Technology Crimes, and the Personal Data Protection Law. The paper also relies on the analysis of a number of laws that intersect with telecommunications and digital rights, namely the Anti-Terrorism Law, the Land Transport Regulation Law, and the Press and Media Regulation Law.
2. Statements:
Publication of a statement entitled AFTE condemns the five-year prison sentence against content creators “Sherry and Zomoroda”, and calls for a halt to TikTok trials in which AFTE condemns a court decision to sentence TikTok content creators Sherifa Refaat (aka Sherry Hanem) and her daughter Nora Hesham (aka Zomoroda) to five years in prison on charges of infringing on family values and promoting prostitution and call for their release.
Publication of a statement entitled Human rights organizations condemn referring university professor Manar Al-Tantawi for investigation and demand an end to the crackdown practiced against her in which AFTE and 7 human rights organizations express their full solidarity with Dr. Manar Al-Tantawi against the repeated arbitrary measures practiced by the Dean of the Higher Institute of Technology (HTI) in the 10th of Ramadan City, and against the use of her husband’s pretrial detention in an opinion case to discourage her from demanding her rights
Publication of a statement entitled President Sisi must order immediate release of researcher Ahmed Samir Santawy, sentenced to four years in prison where AFTE and 10 human rights organizations condemn the sentencing of researcher Ahmed Samir Santawy to four years in prison, on 22 June, by the Emergency Supreme State Security Court in Case no. 774 of 2021. The verdict, which cannot be appealed, also included a fine of LE500 and is based upon dubious charges of “spreading false news” from abroad on a social media account.
Publication of a statement entitled “Human rights organizations condemn the recycling of rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan into a new case before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, and call for his release” where AFTE and 8 other human rights organizations condemn the recycling of human rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan into a new case for the second time and 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.
Publication of a statement entitled Egypt: Moratorium on executions is imperative as unjust death sentence upheld in Rabaa Dispersal Case where AFTE and 8 other human rights organizations condemn the Court of Cassation’s 14 June verdict upholding the death sentence against twelve leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in Case no. 2985 of 2015, known as the Rabaa Dispersal Case.
Publication of a statement entitled Egypt: Hope Coalition detainees must be immediately released, after nearly two years of wrongful imprisonment where AFTE and 10 human rights organizations call for the immediate release of those detained in the Hope Coalition case (case no. 930 of 2019) and for the dismissal of all charges against them. As the two-year maximum lawful duration of their pretrial detention approaches
Publication of a statement entitled One year on since he was held in pretrial detention: Human rights organizations call for the release of academic Ahmed al-Tohamy where AFTE and 7 human rights organizations call on the Egyptian authorities to release Ahmed al-Tohamy Abdel-Hay, an assistant professor of political science at the Faculty of Economic Studies and Political Science at Alexandria University, who has been held in pretrial detention for a year in Case No. 649 of 2020.
Publication of a statement entitled Egyptian human rights organizations: We demand the immediate release of Dr. Walid Shawky and suspending the targeting of peaceful opposition where AFTE and 5 human rights organizations call for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Walid Ahmed Shawky, 34, one of the founders of the April 6 Youth Movement, who has been in arbitrary detention for two years and seven months, as he is being re-imprisoned in connection with a new case since last October.
3. Legal Aid:
– Renewing the Detention of “Hamed Sedeek” for 45 Days
– Renewing the Detention of “Ahmed Maher Ezzat” for 45 Days
– Renewing the detention of “Mohamed Al-Qassas” for 45 days
– Renewing the Detention of 2 defendants in case No. 751 of 2020 and extending the precautionary measures of 2 others
– Renewing the Detention of “Alaa Essam” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Renewing the detention of “Naglaa Fathy Fouad” for 45 days Pending Investigations
– Accepting the appeal of student “Shabaan Ali Youssef” and annulling the decision of expelling him from Cairo university
– Dismissing the appeal of detention order of “Reda Abdel Rahman” and renewing his detention for 45 days
– Renewing the detention of “Ahmed Hassanein Mohamed Moussa” for 45 days Pending Investigations
– Extension of Precautionary Measures for Defendant “Ahmed Mohamed Ali” for 45 Days
– 10 years rigorous imprisonment for “Haneen Hosam”, 6 years for “Mowada Al-Adham” and a fine of 200,000 EGP for each
– Detention of “Ahmed El-Toukhy” for 15 days pending investigations
– Renewing the detention of “Mohamed Safani Kobeisy” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Renewing the Detention of “Belal Abdel-Razek” and “Mohamed Soliman El-Masrey” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Releasing “Ahmed Samy Shuaib” with precautionary measures
– Renewing the detention of “Islam Ali Muhammed” for 45 days pending investigations
– Renewing the Detention of Journalist “Ahmed Mohamed Khalifa” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Renewing the Detention of Journalist “Amer Abdel-Moneim” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Renewing the detention of “Mohamed Oxygen” and “Sameh Ramadan Saudi” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Renewing the Detention of “Mostafa Gamal” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Release of all defendants in Shooting Club Case
– Omar Mahmoud ِAhmed al-Hout Sentenced 3 months in prison
– AFTE Files Reports on Behalf of “Ahmed Badawy Abdel Magid” for his Hunger Strike – Extension of Precautionary Measures for Defendant “Ahmed Mohamed Hassan Sambo” for 45 Days
– Renewing the Detention of “Ayman Abdel Moaty Abdel Rasol” for 45 Days Pending Investigations
– Releasing Ahmed Saied Meligy Zekr Allah
– Releasing “Mohamed Abdel-Moneim Abdullatif” with Precautionary Measures
– Detaining Dr. “Hossam Elden Shaaban” for 15 Days Pending Investigations
– Accepting the writ of “Walid Mohamed Hamid Aqlan” and suspending the probation imposed on him
– Filing a report to the attorney general on researcher Ahmed Samir Santawy’s hunger strike for the fifth consecutive day
