February 23, 2026
Cairo Criminal Court (Second Circuit, Badr) accepted the appeal filed by the defense of student Ahmed Saeed Ahmed Saad Al-Sawwaf and ruled on the merits to consider the time he had already served under police supervision, two and a half years of the five-year period.
Al-Sawwaf was sentenced on September 18, 2017, to ten years of rigorous imprisonment, followed by five years of police supervision, in case No. 8615 of 2013, Azbakeya Criminal Court, registered under No. 4163 of 2013, North Cairo, widely known as the “Al-Fath Mosque events.”
He completed his prison sentence on August 17, 2023, and began serving the police supervision requirement, reporting daily to his local police station from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
On April 17, 2024, Shebin El-Qanater Misdemeanor Court acquitted Al-Sawwaf of charges of evading police supervision in case No. 19808 of 2023, after he had been accused of leaving supervision in September 2023.
During that period, Al-Sawwaf was re-arrested shortly after his release and held in an unknown location inaccessible to his family and lawyer, before being presented to the public prosecutor on October 8, 2023, in case No. 8297 of 2023, Shebin El-Qanater Administrative Court, where he faces charges of joining a terrorist organization with knowledge of its objectives.
Al-Sawwaf had been dismissed from his university due to his detention, while his lawyers took legal steps to secure his return and allow him to continue his studies.
17 April 2024: Shebin Al-Qanater misdemeanor acquits student Ahmed Al-Sawaf of charges of escaping police surveillance
Shebin al-Qanater Misdemeanor Court acquitted the student Ahmed Saeed Ahmed al-Sawaf, after issuing a one-year prison sentence against him in absentia in Case No. 19808 of 2023 Shebin al-Qanater Misdemeanor, on charges of escaping police surveillance imposed on him by the Criminal Court in the case known in the media as Al-Fath Mosque Incidents.
Al-Sawaf served a ten-year aggravated prison sentence in the implementation of the ruling issued against him in the Al-Fatah Mosque incident case, No. 8615 of 2013, Azbakeya criminal.
He was supposed to spend a period under police supervision after the end of his prison sentence, but Shebin al-Qanater Police Station filed a report against Ahmed, accusing him of escaping from supervision on September 1, 2023.
On August 16, 2023, while completing his release procedures, Al-Sawaf was unlawfully re-detained in a location unknown to his family and lawyer until he was presented to the prosecution, pending the new case on October 8.
Ahmed is being investigated in Case No. 8297 of 2023 (Shebin el-Qanater Administrative) on charges of joining a terrorist group while knowing its purposes, in which investigations began last October.
Al-Sawaf was Dismissed from his university due to his imprisonment, while his lawyers took steps to have him return.
12 February 2024: The Criminal Court refuses the Prosecution’s appeal against a decision to release the student Ahmed Al-Sawaf pending his second case
North Banha Criminal Court (Second Circuit) refused the Prosecution appeal against the release of the student Ahmed Saeed Ahmed Saad al-Sawaf pending investigations in Case No. 8297 of 2023 (Shebin el-Qanater Administrative) on charges of joining a terrorist group while knowing its purposes.
On 11 February 2024, the Prosecution filed an appeal against a decision by the Six Circuit to release Ahmed, which was issued on the same day.
The prosecution started investigating Al-Sawaf’s case in the October 8, 2023 session. It challenged him with investigations only without showing him any evidence to support the validity of those investigations.
Al-Sawaf served a ten-year aggravated prison sentence in implementing a ruling against him in Case No. 8615 of 2013, the Azbakeya felonies, known in the media as the Al-Fath Mosque incidents.
On August 16, 2023, while completing his release procedures, Al-Sawaf was unlawfully re-detained in a location unknown to his family and lawyer until he was presented to the prosecution, pending the new case on October 8.
Al-Sawaf was Dismissed from his university due to his imprisonment, while his lawyers took steps to have him return.
11 February 2024: The Prosecution filed an appeal against the Criminal court’s decision to release the student Ahmed Al-Sawaf pending his second case
North Banha Criminal Court (Six Circuit) decided to release the student Ahmed Saeed Ahmed Saad al-Sawaf pending investigations in Case No. 8297 of 2023 (Shebin al-Qanater Administrative) on charges of joining a terrorist group while knowing its purposes.
The Prosecution filed an appeal against that decision, and a hearing will be held on 12 February 2024 to decide on the request.
The prosecution investigated Al-Sawaf’s case in the October 8, 2023 session. It challenged him with investigations only without showing him any evidence to support the validity of those investigations.
Al-Sawaf served a ten-year aggravated prison sentence in implementing a ruling against him in Case No. 8615 of 2013, the Azbakeya felonies, known in the media as the Al-Fath Mosque incidents.
On August 16, 2023, while completing his release procedures, Al-Sawaf was unlawfully re-detained in a location unknown to his family and lawyer until he was presented to the prosecution, pending the new case on October 8.
Al-Sawaf was Dismissed from his university due to his imprisonment, while his lawyers took steps to have him return.
January 30, 2024: The detention of student Ahmed Al-Sawaf was renewed for 15 days on charges of joining a terrorist group, pending his second case
The Shebin al-Qanater Prosecution decided to renew the detention for student Ahmed Saeed Ahmed Saad al-Sawaf for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 8297 of 2023 (Shebin al-Qanater Administrative) on charges of joining a terrorist group while knowing its purposes.
An appeal was filed against that decision, and a hearing is awaited to decide on the request.
The prosecution investigated Al-Sawaf’s case in the October 8, 2023 session. It challenged him with investigations only without showing him any evidence to support the validity of those investigations.
Al-Sawaf served a ten-year aggravated prison sentence in implementing a ruling against him in Case No. 8615 of 2013, the Azbakeya felonies, known in the media as the Al-Fath Mosque incidents.
On August 16, 2023, while completing his release procedures, Al-Sawaf was unlawfully re-detained in a location unknown to his family and lawyer until he was presented to the prosecution, pending the new case on October 8.
Al-Sawaf was Dismissed from his university due to his imprisonment, while his lawyers took steps to have him return.
