New Cairo Criminal Court upholds the Public Prosecution’s decision to close the investigation into Ayman Hadhoud’s death; the detention of three defendants renewed
Supreme State Security Prosecution
19 June sessions:
The Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed for the fourth time the detention of Ahmed Mohamed Moussa Abdel Khaleq for 15 days in connection with Case No. 330 of 2020 (State Security).
The Supreme State Security Prosecution investigated Abdel Khaleq for the first time on 3 April and charged him with joining a terrorist group, inciting a terrorist act, and spreading false news.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution also renewed the detention of Mahmoud Hanafy Mohamed for 15 days in connection with Case No. 93 of 2022 (Supreme State Security Prosecution), in which he has been involved since 22 February.
Mohamed was arrested from his house in Qena governorate. He faces charges of spreading false news, joining a terrorist group, and using an account on social media with the aim of committing a crime.
On 21 June, the South Sharqia Prosecution renewed the detention of the engineering student at Misr University for Science and Technology, Abdel-Rahman Magdy Mohamed El-Attar, for 15 days in connection with Case No. 3886 of 2022 (Mashtool El Souk misdemeanor).
El-Attar was arrested from his house in Mashtool El Souk on 25 April. More than a month later, he appeared before the South Sharqia Prosecution, which charged him with joining a terrorist group and possessing publications that promote its ideas.
Criminal Courts
On 23 June, the New Cairo Criminal Court (Circuit 28) upheld the Nasr City Prosecution’s decision, issued on 1 June, that there was no reason to file a criminal lawsuit and therefore the investigation into Case No. 738 of 2022 will be closed. The case had to do with the death of economic researcher Ayman Hadhoud inside the Abbasiya Mental Health Hospital.
The court also decided to reject the civil lawsuit filed by Hadhoud’s family against the Abbasiya hospital’s administration and whoever proven involved in Hadhoud’s death.
AFTE and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights appealed the Nasr City Prosecution’s decision before the New Cairo Criminal Court in order to resume the investigation and uncover the ambiguous events that led to Hadhoud’s death. They also submitted a memorandum of legal arguments before the court. The court accepted the appeal in form but rejected its merits, meaning that the prosecution’s decision was upheld.
State Council Courts
On 21 June, the Administrative Judiciary Court (Circuit 17) set next 5 July as a date to examine appeal No. 61520 of 75 filed by AFTE and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) on behalf of Manar Al-Tantawy in order for the appellee to respond to the arguments of Al-Tantawy’s defense.
AFTE and ANHRI lodged the appeal last August against both the Minister of Higher Education and the dean of the Higher Technological Institute in the 10th of Ramadan City, challenging the negative decision not to grant Al-Tantawy the professorship degree despite fulfilling all the technical and procedural conditions.
