11 August Sessions
Criminal Court
The Criminal Court (Third Circuit Terrorism) renewed the detention of Mohamed Al-Qassas, Deputy Head of the Strong Egypt Political Party, 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 after the sentence ended.
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.
Supreme State Security Prosecution
The Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed Muhammad Mahmoud Sabry Ismail’s detention for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 95 of the 2023 Supreme State Security Prosecution.
Ismail was arrested at the airport while returning to Egypt to visit his family from the UAE, where he works.
Ismail was presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on May 27, 2024.
He was charged with joining a terrorist group while knowing its purposes, publishing and broadcasting false news and statements that would harm security and public order, and using an account on social media for publishing and broadcasting false news and statements.
On the same day, the State Security Prosecution renewed Ghada Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Nabi’s detention for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 2810 of 2024, State Security.
The Prosecution confronted her with posts on her personal account criticizing President Sisi and government policies.
Ghada is 38 years old and faces charges of belonging to a terrorist group, spreading false news, and misusing Facebook.
The State Security Prosecution had investigated Ghada on July 10 after she was arrested from her home on June 30.
Administrative Court
The Administrative Court has scheduled a session on September 1 to consider the urgent part of the appeal filed by Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) on behalf of its client, researcher Ahmed Samir Abdel Hai Santawy, in case number 79439 year 78 judicial, against the negative decision of the Ministry of Interior to refrain from allowing the researcher to travel abroad after being prevented from traveling three consecutive times without any legal reason or justification.
The organization has named the Minister of Interior, the Director of the Passport and Immigration Administration, and the Director of National Security as the main officials responsible for preventing the researcher from traveling.
Santawy has been attempting to travel to Vienna since August of 2022 to complete his Master’s program in Anthropology at the Central European University in Austria. However, security officials at Cairo Airport have repeatedly prevented him from traveling without an official travel ban decision or inclusion on any travel ban list.
According to the lawsuit, Santawy submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Interior explaining the difficulties he faces and the impact of the travel ban on his future, but he did not receive a response.
12 August Sessions
Criminal Court
The Cairo Criminal Court (Third Circuit Terrorism) renewed the detention of the architect Hassan Abdel Hamid Hassan Ahmed for 45 days pending investigations in Case No. 488 of the 2019 (Supreme State Security Prosecution).
Abdel Hamid was arrested in November 2019, and presented to the prosecution in January 2020 on charges of joining a terrorist group, and publishing and spreading false news and statements.
It is worth mentioning that Abdel Hamid was unlawfully detained in an unknown place from the time of his arrest until he was presented to the prosecution in violation of the constitution and the law. He was also tortured during his enforced disappearance.
Abdel Hamid is 55 years old, and suffers from several chronic diseases. He was also injured in a car accident in 1997, which caused cracks and fractures, and the installation of plates and screws in various places in his body.
During his detention, Abdel Hamid was hospitalized more than once. His father passed away in July 2020, and his mother died in April 2023.
Supreme State Security Prosecution
The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to detain journalist Khaled Mamdouh Mohamed Ibrahim for 15 days, pending investigation in case number 1282 of 2024 Supreme State Security Prosecution.
On 21 July, Mamdouh was presented to prosecution without any evidence or attachments, 6 days after raiding his home and enforcing his disappearance.
He was accused of joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its objectives, financing a terrorist group, and publishing and broadcasting fake news and statements that would harm security and public order.
The prosecution seized his phone and laptop.
On July 17, AFTE filed a complaint with the Attorney General, numbered 846067 for the year 2024, detailing the events of security forces raiding the home of journalist Khaled Mamdouh and taking him to an unknown place on July 16.
In the complaint, AFTE stated that a security force searched Mamdouh’s home randomly, and refused to disclose their identities, their affiliation, or the reason for his arrest.
His family has been unable to determine his place of detention or communicate with him before presenting him to the prosecution.
It is worth mentioning that Mamdouh’s arrest report was dated 20 July, not the date of his actual arrest on 16 July.
