20 December 2025
The Administrative Court issued its ruling in the case filed by AFTE on behalf of researcher Ahmed Samir Abdel-Hay Santawy on 22 March 2025, accepting the case procedurally but rejecting it on the merits.
The Ministry of Interior, in its defense, argued that the plaintiff had previously been accused in several cases concerning national security, with final judgments issued against him in some, and that his unlawful activities made him a potential threat to public security. Consequently, he was placed on the travel ban list as a precautionary measure to protect public order and national security.
The foundation appealed the ruling to the Administrative Supreme Court in May 2025 under No. 56706 of Judicial Year 71, arguing that Santawy had been granted a presidential pardon in a case related to spreading false news, and claiming that the lower court’s ruling contained errors in reasoning and misapplication of the law by depriving him of his right to travel.
The court held a session on 20 December 2025 to consider the substantive part of the appeal, and reserved the appeal for judgment on 24 January 2026.
1 September 2024
The Administrative Court has postponed a session to consider the urgent part of the appeal filed by the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) on behalf of its client, researcher Ahmed Samir Abdel Hai Santawy, till 10 November.
The case number 79439 year 78 judicial, is challenging the negative decision of the Ministry of Interior to refrain from allowing the researcher to travel abroad after being prevented from traveling three consecutive times without any legal reason or justification.
The lawsuit has also been referred to the State Council’s Commissioners’ Authority for them to submit an opinion report.
During the session, the organization presented documents including a copy of Santawy’s passport, which had been stamped by the Cairo Airport Passport Authority to permit his departure from the country, before it was canceled hours later when the researcher was barred from leaving.
The organization has named the Minister of Interior, the Director of the Passport and Immigration Administration, and the Director of National Security as the main officials responsible for preventing the researcher from traveling.
Santawy has been attempting to travel to Vienna since August of 2022 to complete his Master’s program in Anthropology at the Central European University in Austria. However, security officials at Cairo Airport have repeatedly prevented him from traveling without an official travel ban decision or inclusion on any travel ban list.
According to the lawsuit, Santawy submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Interior explaining the difficulties he faces and the impact of the travel ban on his future, but he did not receive a response.
11 August 2024: September 1 Hearing Set for Urgent Appeal Filed by Researcher Ahmed Samir Santawy Against Travel Ban
The Administrative Court has scheduled a session on September 1 to consider the urgent part of the appeal filed by Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) on behalf of its client, researcher Ahmed Samir Abdel Hai Santawy, in case number 79439 year 78 judicial, against the negative decision of the Ministry of Interior to refrain from allowing the researcher to travel abroad after being prevented from traveling three consecutive times without any legal reason or justification.
The organization has named the Minister of Interior, the Director of the Passport and Immigration Administration, and the Director of National Security as the main officials responsible for preventing the researcher from traveling.
Santawy has been attempting to travel to Vienna since August of 2022 to complete his Master’s program in Anthropology at the Central European University in Austria. However, security officials at Cairo Airport have repeatedly prevented him from traveling without an official travel ban decision or inclusion on any travel ban list.
According to the lawsuit, Santawy submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Interior explaining the difficulties he faces and the impact of the travel ban on his future, but he did not receive a response.
22 June 2024: AFTE Appeals Against the Negative Decision to Ban Researcher Ahmed Samir Santawy from Traveling
Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) filed a case before the Administrative Court on behalf of its client, researcher Ahmed Samir Abdel Hai Santawy, in case number 79439 year 78 judicial, against the negative decision of the Ministry of Interior to refrain from allowing the researcher to travel abroad after being prevented from traveling three consecutive times without any legal reason or justification.
The organization has named the Minister of Interior, the Director of the Passport and Immigration Administration, and the Director of National Security as the main officials responsible for preventing the researcher from traveling.
Santawy has been attempting to travel to Vienna since August of 2022 to complete his Master’s program in Anthropology at the Central European University in Austria. However, security officials at Cairo Airport have repeatedly prevented him from traveling without an official travel ban decision or inclusion on any travel ban list.
According to the lawsuit, Santawy submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Interior explaining the difficulties he faces and the impact of the travel ban on his future, but he did not receive a response.
Ahmed Samir Santawy was studying a Master’s program in Anthropology at the Central European University in Austria, focusing his research on reproductive rights and the status of abortion in Egypt from the perspectives of law, religion, and society.
He was arrested in February 2021 during a visit to Egypt, which was supposed to be a short visit to see his family, and spent over a year in prison. He was later sentenced to four years in jail and convicted of spreading “false news”, before being released at the end of July 2022 following a presidential pardon.
Since then, Santawy has been unable to return to complete his studies at the same university where he was pursuing his Master’s degree.
