Supreme State Security Prosecution
On June 20, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of two Al-Ahly football club fans who were arrested from Cairo International Stadium after a match for Al-Ahly club, namely: Ahmed Shaker Abou Elrous and Ali Othman Ali, for 15 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 805 of 2023 (Supreme State Security).
After their arrest from the stadium on April 5, the Nasr City Prosecution charged them with rioting in the stadium and assaulting the security forces and decided to release them two days later on bail; however, they remained detained until they were transferred to the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which brought different accusations this time, which are joining a terrorist group, committing one of the crimes of financing a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements that may harm security and public order, and using an account on social media to spread the false information for a terrorist purpose.
Criminal Courts
On June 18, Cairo Criminal Court (First Circuit) renewed the detention of the poet and songwriter of the “Balaha” song, Galal Al-Behairi, for 45 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 2000 of 2021 (Supreme State Security Prosecution).
During the last month, Al-Behairi escalated his partial hunger strike and refraining from taking his heart and depression medications, which he started on March 5, to a full hunger strike and refraining from drinking water and liquids; AFTE submitted two reports to the public prosecutor requesting a review of the reasons that led Al-Behairi to strike, as well as to urgently provide him with the necessary medical care to Al-Buhairi, and releasing him under any guarantees. However, both of the reports were ignored.
Al-Behairy was arrested on 3 March 2018 against accusations in two lawsuits. He was released from the first one, No. 480 of 2018, with precautionary measures, on 17 April 2019, and referred to a military court for the second lawsuit, and sentenced to three years in prison, which ended on 31 July 2021. However, the Ministry of Interior refrained from implementing the procedures for El Behairy’s release, and he remained illegally detained. The Supreme State Security Prosecution interrogated El Behairy in a new lawsuit, no. 2000 of 2021, and he remains in pretrial detention on similar accusations of joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes and spreading and broadcasting false news and statements that would harm public security.
On June 20, the Criminal Court (First Circuit) renewed the detention of human rights lawyer Ahmed Nazeer El-Helw, for 45 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 1940 of 2022 (Supreme State Security).
Security forces arrested El-Helw from his house on November 7, in conjunction with the random arrests by the security forces with the increasing calls for demonstrations on November 11; he was illegally detained for 6 days till he appeared before the prosecution against accusations of joining a terrorist group.
June 21 hearings:
The Criminal Court (First Circuit) renewed the detention of the assistant professor of political science at the Faculty of Economic Studies and Political Science at Alexandria University, Ahmed AlTohamy, for 45 days pending investigations of case No. 649 of 2020 (Supreme State Security Prosecution).
It is worth noting that Al-Tohamy started a hunger strike this month; in protest of his continued pretrial detention of three years without committing a crime, AFTE filed a report to the Public Prosecutor’s office that carried No. 32276 of 2023; To open an urgent investigation into the incident of his hunger strike to transfer him to the prison hospital to receive medical treatment, and releasing him under any guarantee.
Police forces arrested Al-Tohamy from his home on 3 June 2020. He remained under enforced disappearance for 17 days till he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which accused him of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and misusing social media.
The Criminal Court (First Circuit) renewed the detention of Ahmed Hassanein Mohamed Moussa for 45 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 1475 of 2019 (Supreme State Security).
Moussa completes his fourth year in prison within a few months; security forces arrested him in October 2019, and he was illegaly detained for two months before appearing before the prosecution, which after the interrogations accused him of joining a terrorist group, committing a financing crime, spreading false news, and misusing social media.
On June 24, the Criminal Court (Third Circuit) renewed the detention of the two social media content creators, Ahmed Tarek Hassanein and Basma Hegazy, for 45 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 184 of 2023 (Supreme State Security).
The two content creators known as “Chocolata” and “Warda” complete their sixth months in pretrial detention against the backdrop of a parody video they participated in. The content of the video revolves around a detained person over his argument with a person of authority. All those who participated in the video were arrested as well. The prosecution accused the content creators of joining a terrorist group, committing the crime of financing terrorism, spreading false news and information, and using social media accounts to spread false news and information.
