1 September Sessions
State Security Prosecution
State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of 5 persons for 15 days who are:
1- Translator and cartoonist at Almanassa website Ashraf Omar Mohamed Sadek pending investigation in case No. 1968 of 2024 Supreme State Security.
He has been charged with spreading false news that could disturb public peace and security, misusing social media, and joining a banned group. An iPad and 80,000 Egyptian pounds were confiscated during the arrest.
AFTE is defending Omar and cooperating with Mr. Khaled Ali’s law firm.
On July 22, A security forces raided his home in the October Gardens at 1:30 AM and took him to an unknown location.
Surveillance cameras showed a group of individuals in two microbuses entering the building, and about 40 minutes later, they were seen leaving with Omar, who was blindfolded. His family has been unable to ascertain his whereabouts or communicate with him for 3 days before presenting him at the prosecution.
Ashraf Omar recently published several satirical drawings on “Al-Manassa,” addressing issues such as the electricity crisis and the monorail operation amid scarce resources. He has also worked as a translator for books and articles for several platforms, including “Mada Masr.”
2- Ahmed Essam Abbas, pending investigations in Case No. 2810 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
Abbas was arrested on June 29, 2024, due to posts on his Facebook account that included comparing commodity and service prices between 2013 and 2024. He remained unlawfully detained in an undisclosed location, unknown to his family, until he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on July 16, 2024.
3- Yasser Mohamed Fouad Shaheen pending investigations in Case No. 2810 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
Shaheen was arrested on June 29 due to posts on his Facebook account. He remained unlawfully detained in an undisclosed location, unknown to his family, until he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on July 16, 2024.
The prosecution charged him with joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes, publishing and broadcasting false news and statements that could harm security and public order, and using a social media account to disseminate false news.
The prosecution confronted Shaheen with his mobile phone and Facebook posts, which discussed the economic situation in Egypt, Egypt’s stance on supporting the Palestinian cause, and political opinions on some government decisions.
4- Magdy Mohamed Mohamed Awad, pending investigations in Case No. 3434 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
Awad was arrested on July 6, 2024, in connection with calls for protests on July 12. He remained unlawfully detained in an undisclosed location, unknown to his family, until he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on July 10, four days after his arrest.
The prosecution charged him with joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes, publishing and broadcasting false news and statements that could harm security and public order, and using a social media account to disseminate false news.
The prosecution confronted him with his mobile phone and Facebook posts, which included complaints about healthcare issues, high prices, power outages, and calls for protests on July 12.
5- Islam Mahmoud Abdelaziz Abu Saud pending investigations in Case No. 3434 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
On July 12, 2024, Abu Saud was arrested in connection with calls for protests on July 12, 2024. He remained unlawfully detained in an undisclosed location, unknown to his family, until he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on July 16.
The prosecution charged him with joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes, publishing and broadcasting false news and statements that could harm security and public order, and using a social media account to disseminate false news.
The prosecution confronted Abu Saud with Facebook posts from his account, which included complaints about high prices and power outages and calls for protests on July 12.
Administrative Court
The Administrative Court has postponed a session to consider the urgent part of the appeal filed by the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) on behalf of its client, researcher Ahmed Samir Abdel Hai Santawy, till 10 November.
Case number 79439, year 78 judicial, is challenging 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 lawsuit has also been referred to the State Council’s Commissioners’ Authority for them to submit an opinion report.
During the session, the organization presented documents, including a copy of Santawy’s passport, which had been stamped by the Cairo Airport Passport Authority to permit his departure from the country, before it was canceled hours later when the researcher was barred from leaving.
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.
3 September Sessions
Criminal Court
The Cairo Criminal Court (First Circuit Terrorism) renewed the detention of 3 people for 45 days.
The defendants are:
1- Ahmed Husine Ahmed Abostit, pending lawsuit No. 2468 of 2023 (Supreme State Security). Security forces 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.
2- Human rights lawyer Ahmed Nazeer El-Helw, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 1940 of 2022 Supreme State Security.
Security forces arrested El-Helw from his home on 7 November 2022 in conjunction with the random arrests by the security forces with the increasing calls for demonstrations on 11 November 2022. El-Helw was illegally detained for 6 days till he appeared before the prosecution, facing accusations of joining a terrorist group.
3- Ali Mohmed Ali Abo ElMajd, a student in the fourth year of the Faculty of Sharia and Law at Al-Azhar University, 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.
4 September Sessions
Criminal Court
The Cairo Criminal Court (First Circuit Terrorism) decided to renew student Ahmed Khaled El-Toukhy’s 45-day detention pending trial no. 955 of 2020 Supreme State Security.
El-Toukhy is charged with joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements that could disturb public security and order, and using a social media account, “Facebook,” to spread false news and information.
It should be noted that he had a release order from the Criminal Court on March 21, 2021, pending Case No. 532 of 2021 Shibin Al Qanater misdemeanor on the same charges. Still, that order wasn’t implemented, and he was unjustly detained in an unknown place for his family and lawyers until he was presented before the prosecution after 3 months, who ordered to detain him in the current case.
Based on a phone call, el-Toukhy was arrested after he headed to the National Security Premises on September 26, 2020. Then, he didn’t appear until January 12, 2021, before the Shebin Elkom Prosecution decided to detain him.
5 September sessions
State Security Prosecution
The State Security Prosecution has released a doctor and a citizen after being detained for several months, who are:
1- Doctor Hany Soliman, pending investigations of lawsuit No. 508 of 2023 (Supreme State Security Prosecution) with the guarantee of his residence.
On 27 March 2023, Security forces arrested Soliman, the former marketing director at Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company, from his house after he published several posts on Facebook criticizing the current political regime. The prosecution interrogated him about these posts, and Soliman admitted his ownership of the publishing account and that he was expressing his political views.
The investigation authorities accused Soliman of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and using a social media account to spread the false news.
2- Muhammad Taha Abdel Mawjoud Taha, pending investigations in Case No. 2526 of 2023 (Supreme State Security) with the guarantee of his residence.
On 10 March 2024, Taha was arrested while returning from work outside the country to spend a vacation with his family.
The next day, Taha was presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution. He was investigated on charges of joining a terrorist group, publishing and broadcasting false news and data that would harm security and public order, and using an account on social media networks for publishing and broadcasting false news and data before the decision to detain him pending investigation was made.
On the same day, The Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of a child, a student, and a citizen for 15 days, who are:
1- Belal Mohamed Fawzy Mohamed El-Saqaan, a 16-year-old, pending investigations in Case No. 3434 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
El-Saqaan was arrested on July 10, 2024, in connection with calls for protests on July 12. He remained unlawfully detained in an undisclosed location, unknown to his family, until he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on July 14, 2024. The prosecution charged him with joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes, publishing and broadcasting false news and statements that could harm security and public order, and using a social media account to disseminate false news.
During the investigation, El-Saqaan stated that he had been added to a Telegram group calling for protests on that day but left the group immediately. The prosecution confronted him with his mobile phone.
2- Student Abdelrahman Safwat Mohamedeen Hammad, pending investigations in case No. 3434 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
Mohamedeen was arrested on July 12, 2024, from his home due to sharing calls for demonstrations on July 12, as well as his posting of a video supporting Gaza and several posts discussing economic conditions.
He was unlawfully held in an unknown location until he was brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on July 16, 2024.
The prosecution charged him with joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its objectives, spreading false news and statements that could harm security and public order, and using a social media account to spread false news.
Mohamedeen was challenged with his mobile phone and some of his posts on Facebook.
3- Mahmoud Nasser Ali Suleiman, pending investigations in Case No. 1410 of 2024 (Supreme State Security Prosecution).
On May 1, 2024, Suleiman was arrested from a street in Ismailia Governorate and remained unlawfully detained until May 4, 2024, when he was presented to the prosecution, which charged him with joining a terrorist group while knowing its purposes and publishing and broadcasting false news and statements that may harm security and public order, and use an account on social media to publish and broadcast false news.
Suleiman was not confronted with any posts on social media indicating that he had published any news.
