AFTE’s Newsletter: May 2022

Date : Monday, 6 June, 2022
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During May, 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 and reports 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.

Publications:

Mass surveillance… a systematic practice in state institutions discusses The mass surveillance practiced by the Egyptian authorities has wide negative impacts on digital privacy. The SCMR, the Public Prosecution, public universities, and the Interior Ministry’s Information Technology Department violate privacy and apply disciplinary measures such as dismissal, criminal prosecution, and referral to the Emergency State Security Court whose rulings cannot be appealed.

What is net neutrality? concept paper comes to start a public debate about net neutrality in Egypt, with the aim of guaranteeing the rights of internet users.

A reading into Hadeer alHadi’s case paper relies on the legal analysis of the documents of content creator Hadeer alHadi’s case, which carries No. 762 of 2020 (Cairo Economic Misdemeanour). The paper also relies on official data issued by the Public Prosecution, and media reports that tackled the case.

Statements:

AFTE issued the following statements in May:
Statement A Fair and Transparent Process to Release Political Prisoners in Egypt as the first on top of the list of the “First Seven Steps” initiative, launched in 2021 and signed by more than fifty civil society organizations, political parties, diaspora groups, and regional and international human rights entities.

Statement Civil society to the UK Foreign Office: Free human rights defender Alaa Abd El-Fattah after Alaa Abd El-Fattah has entered day 56 of his hunger strike in protest of the horrific conditions of his imprisonment, which threatens his life.

Statement Egypt: President must overturn unjust verdicts against politicians Aboul-Fotouh, Mohamed al-Qassas, Moaz al-Sharqawi, and YahiaHussein Abdel Hadi after the Emergency State Security Felony Court issued a verdict against Abdel MoneimAboul-Fotouh to 15 years in prison, while his deputy Mohamed al-Qassas, and Moezal-Sharqawi, the former vice-president of the Tanta University Student Union, were both sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, and the verdict issued on 23 May against Yahia Hussein Abdel Hadi to 4 years in prison.

Legal Aid: 

Ayman Mohamed Elsayed released
– Court of Appeal ruled its lack of jurisdiction to examine Sherry Hanem and Zomoroda’s appeal against verdict to 5 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 EGP
– Criminal Court renews lawyer Amr Nohan’s detention for 45 days, Despite exceeding the maximum period of pretrial detention
– Criminal Court renews lawyer Mohamed Elsayed Abdel-Fatah’s detention for 45 days who suffer from leukemia
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews TV Presenter Hala Fahmy’s detention for 15 days
– Criminal Court renews Ayman Abdel Moaty’s detention for 45 days
– Criminal Court renews Mostafa Gamal’s detention for 45 days in connection with his third case
– Disciplinary hearing of Dr. Manar Al-Tantawy adjourned to May 31
– Criminal Court renews journalist Hamdy Mokhtar’s detention for 45 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews Mahmoud Hanfy Mohamed’s detention for 15 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution resumes investigations with Tv presenter Hala Fahmy
– After serving his sentence; Gamal Abdel-Hakim transferred to Zagazig Police station in preparation for his release
Gamal Abdel-Hakim‘s release procedures finalized
– Criminal Court renews Nour Al-Din Shaker’s detention for 45 days pending his second case
Mohamed Safani Kobeisy released; the detention of two others renewed
– Despite exceeding three years in pretrial detention; Criminal Court renews Belal Abdel Razek’s detention for 45 days
– Criminal Court renews Hamed Sedeek’s detention for 45 days despite exceeding two years and a half in pretrial detention
– Criminal Court renews lawyer Mohamed Ramadan’s detention for 45 days pending his third case
– Criminal Court renews Ahmed Hassanein Mohamed Moussa’s detention for 45 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution detains Gamal Mohamed Salama for 15 days for posting a Tik Tok video
– AFTE and EIPR submit two requests to the prosecution to investigate Ayman Hadhoud’s death
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews Mahmoud Hanfy Mohamed’s detention for 15 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews Tv presenter Hala Fahmy’s detention for 15 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution renews Gamal Mohamed Salama’s detention for 15 days; for posting a Tik Tok video
– After eight years in detention; Criminal Court releases Omar Al-Hout under the guarantee of his residence and the Prosecution appeals
– The prosecution’s appeal against Omar Al-Hout’s release order upheld and his detention renewed for 45 days
– Emergency State Security Court sentences Mohamed Al-Qassas to 10 years in prison and five years of police observation
– Examination session of appeal against dismissing student Omar Mohamed Ali adjourned to June 26.
Kholoud Saied Amer released under the guarantee of her residence
Sherif El-Rouby released
Ayman Abdel Moaty Abdel Rasoul released
Sameh Ramadan Saudi released
Alaa Essam Released
– Juvenile Misdemeanour Court dismisses Moka Hegazy’s appeal and upholds verdict against her of two years in prison
– Criminal Court renews Journalist Tawfiq Ghanem’s detention for 45 days
– Supreme State Security Prosecution releases journalist Amer Abdel-Moneim
– Criminal Court renews Ahmed Maher Ezzat Rigo’s detention pending his second case
– Despite exceeding two years in pretrial detention; Criminal Court renews Marwa Arafa’s detention for 45 days
– Criminal Court renews Mohamed Mamdouh Abdel Halim’s detention for 45 days pending his second case
– Disciplinary hearing of Manar Al-Tantawy adjourned to June 7

AFTE launched a campaign to support the detained Tik Tok female content creators, you can follow the campaign our Facebook and Twitter, through hashtag #DancingIsNotACrime

AFTE also launched a campaign to call for a presidential pardon on behalf of content creator Hadeer AlHadi who faces a two-year prison sentence and a fine of 100,000 pounds, follow the campaign via #PresidentialPardonForHadeerAlHadi

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