Supreme State Security Prosecution
On September 17, The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to release pensioner Salah Elsayed Elqadi after 11 months of pretrial detention under the guarantee of his place of residence in connection with lawsuit No. 1691 of 2022 (Supreme State Security Prosecution).
Security forces arrested Elqadi from his house on October 17. He appeared before the Prosecution after two weeks for interrogations, in which after he was accused of joining a terrorist group, committing a terrorist financing crime, using a social media account to promote a terrorist act, participating in a criminal agreement intended to commit a terrorist crime, incitement to commit a terrorist crime, and spreading false news and information.
On September 18. The Supreme State Security renewed Mohamed Ibrahim Abdo’s detention for 15 days pending investigations of lawsuit No. 2064 of 2023 (Supreme State Security). Security forces targeted Abdo for posting videos on TikTok criticizing the policies of the country’s current president.
The 31-year-old Abdo was arrested on August 21 from his house in Monufia Governorate and appeared before the prosecution a week after his arrest. The prosecution accused Abdo of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and using an internet account to commit a crime.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution also released journalist Ahmed Gamal Ziada’s father under the guarantee of his place of residence, pending lawsuit No. 2064 of 2023 (Supreme State Security).
A security force in civilian clothes arrested Ziada on August 22 after they asked him about his son and his journalistic work. The following day, he appeared before the prosecution, which accused him of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and information that would harm security and public order, and using a social media account to spread false news and statements. Despite the accusations against him, the prosecution didn’t confront Ziada with any posts proving the accusation of spreading false news, as his Facebook profile is free of any political posts, and he only posts promotional materials for his work as a clothing workshop manager.
Criminal Court
On September 16, The Criminal Court (First Circuit) renewed the detention of the two content creators, Ahmed Tarek and Basma Hegazy, for 45 extra days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 184 of 2023 (Supreme State Security).
security forces arrested the content creators on January 25 over a sarcastic video in which they participated with other content creators who were also arrested; the video revolves around a person who is in prison for arguing with a person in power. The Supreme State Security Prosecution conducted investigations with them about this video. They were later accused 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.
Although he exceeded three years in pretrial detention, 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 Al-Tohamy, for 45 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 649 of 2020 (Supreme State Security Prosecution).
Al-Tohamy was arrested on June 3, 2020, but his whereabouts were unknown for 17 days until he was brought before the Prosecution, which charged him with joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and misusing social media, against accusations of collaborating with the Egyptian activist Mohamed Sultan, who is residing in the United States, in the case Sultan filed against the former Prime Minister Hazem Al-Beblawy.
Economic Court
The Economic Court of Appeal set October 7 as a date to examine the appeal filed by the defense panel of journalist and political opponent Hesham Kassem against the verdict issued against him by the Economic Court to 3 months in prison over insulting, slandering, and intentionally disturbing Kamal Abu Eita, and three months in prison with enforced hard labor over insulting a public servant, in connection with lawsuit No. 2121 of 2023.
The Prosecution summoned Kassem to investigate him based on a report submitted by the former Minister of Manpower and member of the Presidential Pardon Committee, Kamal Abu Eita, against Qasim, accusing him of insulting and defaming him on social media. El-Sayeda Zainab’s prosecution interrogated Kassem regarding the report filed against him. The Prosecution decided to release him on a 5 thousand pound bail, which Kassem refused to pay, stressing that he had not committed any violation that required paying bail. Meanwhile, Kassem published a post on Facebook criticizing President Sisi and various state agencies and announcing his refusal to pay the bail. Later, members of El-Sayeda Zainab’s police station filed a report against Kassem, accusing him of insulting, slandering, and offending a public servant after they claimed that Kassem insulted a police officer and two police chiefs.
