24 March 2024 session
Criminal Court
The Criminal Court (Third Circuit Terrorism) renewed the detention of the Vice-President of the Strong Egypt Political Party, Mohamed Al-Qassas, for 45 days pending his third lawsuit No. 786 of 2020 (Supreme State Security).
Al-Qassas was arrested in February 2017, coinciding with an extensive arrest campaign launched by the security forces against members and leaders of the Strong Egypt Political Party. He was involved as a defendant in his first lawsuit, No. 977 of 2017, known in the media as the “Mekamleen 2 lawsuit.” after nearly 22 months in pretrial detention, the prosecution ordered his release. However, a few days later, the prosecution interrogated and listed him in a second lawsuit, No. 1781 of 2019, over the same accusations he previously faced.
On August 5, 2020, the Criminal Court ordered Al-Qassas to be released with precautionary measures. Still, the decision was not implemented, and for the third time, Al-Qassas was included in lawsuit No. 786 of 2020, and one more time, over the same accusations. In 2021, the Supreme State Security Prosecution listed Al-Qassas in his fourth lawsuit, No. 440 of 2018. It later referred this lawsuit to the Emergency State Security Court, which sentenced Al-Qassas to 10 years in heavy prison and police observation for five years as soon as the prison sentence ends.
Al-Qassas is detained over accusations of being a part of a terrorist group with knowledge of this group’s aims and spreading and publishing false news and information.
25 March 2024 session
Supreme State Security Prosecution
The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to release the employee Mohamed Mahmoud Abou Mandour, after 1 year and a half in detention.
Abou Mandour has been detained since November 2022, pending investigation in lawsuit No. 2216 of 2022 (State Security), which included posts on social media about poor living conditions, but he denied his connection to the posts and the publishing account.
He was also tortured in the period following his arrest, with electric shocks and his hands being tied behind his back.
Abo Mandour is charged with joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its aims, committing the crime of financing terrorism, inciting to commit a terrorist act, spreading false news and information that would disturb public peace and order, and using an account on social media to commit a terrorist crime.
Public Prosecution
Al Darb Al-Ahmar Prosecution decided to detain Khaled Jalal Helmy for four days pending investigations in Case No. 1113 of 2024, Al Darb Al-Ahmar misdemeanor, on charges of joining a terrorist group and possessing ammunition.
On February 27, the North Cairo Criminal Court released Helmy and decided to replace detention with a precautionary measure. However, Rowd Al-Farag Police Station did not implement the decision, and Khaled was detained in the department until he was presented with a new case.
Helmy is a mosque’s custodian, from the Sahel Rowd al-Farag, and he is 50 years old.
27 March 2024 session
Criminal Court
Cairo Criminal Court reserved the lawsuit of journalist Hassan Al-Qabany, in which he’s accused of similarity of names, on May 12 due to the absence of the prosecution witness, the lawsuit known as “Rabaa Operations Room” No. 2210 of 2014.
The case was scheduled for March 27, before being postponed again for the same reason.
On April 11, 2015, Al-Qabany was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment without being informed of his referral to trial and without being interrogated in the lawsuit against accusations of joining a group established in violation of the law while knowing its purposes, participating in a criminal agreement aimed to attempt to overthrow the state’s constitution and its government using force, publishing and spreading false news and information domestically and abroad about the domestic situation of the country. And after his arrest took place in May 2023, Al-Qabany requested a retrial.
Misdemeanor Court
Al Mokattam Misdemeanor Court decided to renew the detention of Khaled Jalal Helmy for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 1113 of 2024, Al Darb Al-Ahmar misdemeanor, on charges of joining a terrorist group and possessing ammunition.
On February 27, the North Cairo Criminal Court released Helmy, and decided to replace detention with a precautionary measure, but Rowd Al-Farag Police Station did not implement the decision, and Khaled was detained in the department until he was presented with a new case.
Helmy is a mosque’s custodian, from the Sahel Rowd al-Farag, and he is 50 years old.
