5 February Sessions
Supreme State Security Prosecution
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to renew the detention of Ahmed Husine Ahmed Abostit for 15 days, pending lawsuit No. 2468 of 2023 (Supreme State Security). Security forces had arrested him on October 24, 2023, in Abdel Moneim Riad Square due to his participation in the demonstrations in support of Palestine on October 20.
It is worthy to note that the prosecution accused him of joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes and participating in a gathering intended to harm public safety and order, changing the government system through force, and forcing a public employee to refrain from performing one of his duties through intimidation and violence. To accomplish a terrorist purpose, the defendant destroyed public and private property, both immovable and movable.
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of Ali Mohmed Ali Abo ElMajd, a student in the fourth year of the Faculty of Sharia and Law at Al-Azhar University, for 15 days, in Case No. 2468 of 2023 (Supreme State Security).
Security forces arrested Abo ElMajd on October 21 of the last year, from his home in the Bulaq Al Dakrur area, due to his participation in the demonstrations in support of Palestine. He remained detained in an unknown place to his family and lawyer until his presentation to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on the 28th of the same month, which proceeded with investigations with him and decided to detain him in pretrial detention for 15 days, pending investigations. The prosecution charged Abo ElMajd with joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes and participating in a gathering intended to harm public safety and order, changing the government system through force, and forcing a public employee to refrain from performing one of his duties through intimidation and violence. To accomplish a terrorist purpose, the defendant destroyed public and private property, both immovable and movable.
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to renew the detention of Omar Mohamed Mohamed ElDahma, a graphic designer, for 15 days, pending investigations in Case No. 2469 of 2023 (Supreme State Security ), following his participation in demonstrations of solidarity with Palestine Friday, 13 October in Alexandria.
Security forces stopped ElDahma in front of his house in the Miami neighborhood in Alexandria. The prosecution charged him with joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and participating in a gathering that would put public peace in danger.
6 February Sessions
Misdemeanor Court
- The Matareya Misdemeanor Court ruled to imprison Ahmed Mohammad Ramadan Al-Tantawy and his presidential campaign manager, Muhammad Musa Abu Al-Diyar, for one year with a bail of 20,000 pounds for each of them to suspend execution until appeal, and one year’s imprisonment for 21 of the other defendants in the case No. 16336 of 2023, known as Matareya misdemeanors, which popular as electoral process paper. The court also ruled to ban Ahmed Al-Tantawi from running for parliamentary elections for a period of 5 years.
The court has charged El-Tantawy and his campaign manager with Participating through incitement, agreement, and supplying the twenty-one other defendants with one of the electoral process papers (Form No. 4) and printing and circulating it without the permission of the competent authority, as well as charging the rest of the defendants with printing and circulating an electoral process paper (Form No. 4) without a license.
Supreme State Security Prosecution
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to renew the detention of Mahmoud Gamal Abo Sree, for 15 days pending investigations of lawsuit No. 508 of 2023 (Supreme State Security).
Security forces arrested Abo Sree On December 19, 2023, from Borg ElArab Airport while returning from abroad to spend a vacation with his family, he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on December 20, 2023, and was charged with joining a terrorist group while knowing its purposes, and publishing and broadcasting false news and information that would harm security and public order—and using an account on international information networks for publishing and posting false news and information.
It is also worth noting that he was not confronted with any seizures, nor was he confronted with any news or publications concerning him.
Criminal Court
- The Cairo Criminal Court (Second Terrorism Circuit) decided to renew the detention of Moataz Bellah Hasab Elnaby for 45 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 965 of 2021 (Supreme State Security).
Hasab Elnaby completed two years in pretrial detention, which is the maximum period of pretrial detention according to the law. Security forces arrested Hasab Elnaby on July 12, 2021, against the grounds of several posts published on a Facebook account attributed to him; despite the fact that Hasab Elnaby denied his ownership of the account.
- Cairo Criminal Court (Second Terrorism Circuit) renewed the detention of journalist Karim Ebrahim for 45 days, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 569 of 2020 (Supreme State Security Prosecution).
Security forces arrested the journalist at Al-Bawaba newspaper and a member of the Journalists Syndicate in April 2020; he was arrested in connection with clashes between the police forces and armed members, which took place in the Alamiria district, his residence place. He was also unlawfully detained for a month before being brought before the investigation authorities, which accused him of joining a terrorist group.
7 February Sessions
Supreme State Security Prosecution
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to release the former TV presenter at Maspero, Hala Fahmy, after being held in pretrial detention for more than a year and a half pending investigations of lawsuit No. 441 of 2022 (Supreme State Security). It is worth noting that during the 12 November session, Fahmy requested to be referred to neurologists and orthopedists, even if at her expense, and the defense submitted a written request to the court to present her to specialist doctors.
Fahmy shared several videos on her Facebook profile sharing her economic views and the Renaissance Dam crisis; following that, Fahmy shared several live videos stating being pursued by unknown individuals; she was arrested a few days after this incident.
She also suffered from poor detention conditions, as she was banned from outdoor walks, reading, and communicating with others.
Fahmy faces accusations of joining a terrorist group, inciting to commit a crime, and spreading false news domestically and abroad.
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to release journalist Manal Agrama, after being held in pretrial detention for more than a year pending investigations of lawsuit No. 1893 of 2022 (Supreme State Security).
The demands for Agrama’s release have increased since her father passed away in February to take care of her elderly mother. Agrama also suffers from several health problems in her spine, which have worsened due to her continued detention and medical neglect.
Security forces arrested Agrama in November; Because of her political views. She faces accusations of joining and financing a terrorist group, inciting a terrorist act, participating in a criminal agreement aimed at committing a terrorist act, and using social media to promote a terrorist act.
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to release Mohamed Raafat Nasr Taha, after being held in pretrial detention for more than a year pending investigations of lawsuit No. 1977 of 2022 (Supreme State Security), in which he’s accused of joining a terrorist group, committing the crime of financing terrorism, using social media to call for a terrorist act, participating in a criminal agreement intended to commit a terrorist crime, incitement to commit a terrorist crime, and publishing and spreading false news and information.
Security forces arrested Nasr from Alexandria on November 2, 2023, and he forcibly disappeared for five days before being brought before the investigation authorities.
- The State Security Prosecution released Momtaz Ahmed Lotfy, pending investigations of case No. 1539 of 2022 (State Security).
Security forces arrested Lotfy from his house on August 21, 2022, and the prosecution interrogated him on September 5, against the background of a video he posted about the Gamasa Prison fire. He was later accused of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and misusing social media.
- The State Security Prosecution released the teacher Ahmed Muhammad Tolba Abdul Hamid, pending investigation in Case No. 2333 of 2023 (State Security Issue) after four months in pretrial detention.
The prosecution accused Tolba, a teacher from Sharqia Governorate, of participating in an illegal gathering and joining a terrorist group.
He was arrested on October 15, 2023, in front of the Ministry of Education in the Administrative Capital while participating in a protest against excluding him from appointment in the 30,000 teachers competition.
Two days after his arrest, the prosecution began investigating him before he was transferred to the 10th of Ramadan Prison 6.
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to release academic Wael Abdelrahim Muhammad Hussein, who is accused in Case No. 325 of 2023 (State Security Issue) of participating in a terrorist group and funding that group.
This decision was issued on the same day that the Criminal Court (First Circuit) renewed the defendant’s imprisonment for 45 days at a session on February 7, 2024.
The accused was arrested on the 14th of May, 2023, from Cairo Airport. He was investigated on the same day and then detained pending the case.
Wael Abdel Rahim is a member of the Constitution Party and works as an assistant professor at Stanford University in the United States. He was born in 1975 in Menoufia Governorate
