The Supreme State Security Prosecution
On February 20, The Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of the deputy director of the Information Technology Department at Al-Akhbar newspaper, Yehia Elsayed Othman, the nursing student at Ain Shams University, Islam Ramadan Kamel, Adel Ahmed Soliman, and Mohamed Mostafa Abdel Qader, for 15 days, pending investigations of case No. 1893 of 2022 (Supreme State Security).
The four defendants were arrested for sharing political posts on social media; therefore, they face charges of joining and financing a terrorist group with their knowledge of its aims, inciting a terrorist act, promoting a terrorist act through social media, spreading false news, and participating in a criminal agreement intended to commit a terrorist act.
In the next day’s hearing session, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of Ziad Abo El-Fadl, Khaled Abdel Mohsen, and Ahmed Abou Elsoud for 15 days pending investigations of case No. 2094 of 2022 (Supreme State Security).
It should be noted that this is the second time Abo El-Fadl is convicted in a case. Only several months after his release, he was arrested on November 10 with his friend Abdel Mohsen from a street in Alexandria. The investigation authorities accused the three defendants of joining a terrorist group, committing the crime of financing terrorism, using social media to promote a terrorist act, participating in a criminal agreement to commit a terrorist crime (demonstrations), inciting to commit a terrorist crime (demonstrations), and spreading false news and statements.
Criminal Courts
On February 21’s hearing session, the Criminal Court (the Council Chamber) renewed the detention of the member of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, Wessam Salah, for 45 days, pending investigations into case No. 93 of 2022 (Supreme State Security Prosecution) in which Salah is convicted after being arrested from his home on January 20, 2022.
Salah faces accusations of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and information, and using a social media account to spread false news and information.
On February 22 hearing sessions, the Criminal Court (the Council Chamber) renewed Ahmed Hassanein Mohamed Moussa’s detention for 45 days, pending investigations of Case No. 1475 of 2019 (Supreme State Security). Despite the fact that Moussa exceeded three years in pretrial detention. Against accusations of joining a terrorist group, committing a financing crime, spreading false news, and misusing social media.
The court also renewed the detention of the student at Al-Azhar University, Estshhad Kamal Rezk, for 45 days in connection with Case No. 680 of 2020 (Supreme State Security).
In November 2020, Estshhad was arrested and subjected to enforced disappearance before she was interrogated before the Prosecution, which in turn charged her with joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.
