13 June 2026
The Cairo Criminal Court (First Circuit – Badr Criminal Court) adjourned consideration of case No. 191 of 2023 (State Security Registry), in which football supporter Ismail Khaled Ismail Al-Embaby is accused, to sessions on 5, 6, 7, and 19 September and 4 October 2026 to hear the defense’s pleadings after the court had heard only one lawyer’s argument.
Al-Embaby was arrested on 19 July 2023 after attending a football match between Al Ahly and Haras El Hodoud and was held in an undisclosed location for four days before being presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution. He is charged with joining a terrorist organization with knowledge of its purposes, financing a terrorist organization, using an online account to promote ideas that incite terrorist acts, and publishing and broadcasting false news and statements harmful to public order and the public interest, charges he denies.
17 May 2026
The Cairo Criminal Court (First Circuit – Badr Criminal Court) decided to postpone the trial of Ismail Khaled Ismail Al-Embaby to 13 June 2026 to hear the defense’s pleadings, after hearing prosecution witnesses today.
El‑Embaby was arrested on 19 July 2023 after attending a football match between Al Ahly and Haras El‑Hodood. He was held in an unknown location until he was presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution four days later, which included him in case No. 191 of 2023 (State Security Prosecution). He spent two years in pretrial detention before being referred to the criminal trial.
The prosecution accuses him of joining a terrorist organization with knowledge of its aims, financing a terrorist group, using the internet to promote ideas that incite terrorist acts, and publishing false news that disturbs public order and harms the public interest; El‑Imbabi denies the charges.
2 March 2026
The Cairo Criminal Court (First Circuit, Badr Criminal Court) decided to postpone the trial of Ismail Khaled Ismail Al-Embaby, who is detained in connection with Case No. 191 of 2023 (Supreme State Security Case Registry), to the session of 17 May 2026 for the defense pleadings. During today’s session, the court heard and examined the prosecution witnesses.
The court had first examined the case in the session of 4 November 2025, during which the defendant denied the charges against him. His defense requested a postponement to review the case files, and the court adjourned the hearing to 17 January 2026, and then to 2 March 2026, during which the prosecution witnesses were heard and examined.
The Cairo Court of Appeal had previously set 4 November 2025 as the first trial session after the case file was referred by the Supreme State Security Prosecution in October 2025, following the decision to refer the defendant to criminal trial issued on 29 April 2025.
The arrest dates back to 19 July 2023, when Ismail Al-Embaby was arrested after attending a football match between Al Ahly and Haras El Hodoud. He was then held in an undisclosed location until he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on 25 July 2023.
The prosecution brought several charges against the defendant, including joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes, financing a terrorist group, using an account on the internet to promote ideas calling for terrorist acts, and spreading false news and statements that could disturb public security and harm the public interest. The defendant denied all charges.
The prosecution initially ordered his detention for 15 days pending investigation, and his pretrial detention continued to be renewed for more than two years, until he was referred to criminal trial.
17 January 2026 : After His Arrest at an Al-Ahly and Haras El-Hodoud Match; Al-Imbaby’s Trial Adjourned to March 2
The Cairo Criminal Court (First Circuit- Badr Criminal) decided to Adjourn the trial of Ismail Khaled Ismail Al-Imbaby, detained in Case No. 191 of 2023 (Supreme State Security), to the session of 2 March 2026, in order to hear the prosecution’s witnesses.
The court had examined the case for the first time on 4 November 2025, during which the defendants denied the charges brought against them. The defense requested an adjournment to review the case file, and the court decided to postpone the hearing to 17 January 2026.
The Cairo Court of Appeal had previously scheduled 4 November 2025 as the first trial session, after receiving the case file from the Supreme State Security Prosecution in October 2025, following the referral decision issued on 29 April 2025.
The arrest dates back to 19 July 2023, when Ismail Al-Imbaby was arrested after attending a football match between Al-Ahly and Haras El-Hodoud. He was then held incommunicado at an undisclosed location until he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on 25 July 2023.
The prosecution charged him with several offenses, including joining a terrorist organization with knowledge of its purposes, financing a terrorist organization, using an online account to promote ideas calling for terrorist acts, and deliberately نشر false news and statements likely to disturb public security and harm the public interest. The defendant denied all charges.
The prosecution ordered his detention for fifteen days pending investigation, and his pretrial detention was repeatedly renewed for more than two years, until he was eventually referred to criminal trial.
