{"id":32373,"date":"2022-09-26T15:14:39","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T13:14:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/afteegypt.org\/?p=32373"},"modified":"2022-09-26T15:14:39","modified_gmt":"2022-09-26T13:14:39","slug":"settling-scores-a-detailed-report-on-the-targeting-of-detained-pharmacist-omar-mahmoud-al-hout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/afteegypt.org\/en\/research-en\/monitoring-reports-en\/2022\/09\/26\/32373-afteegypt.html","title":{"rendered":"Settling scores … (A detailed report on the targeting of detained pharmacist Omar Mahmoud al-Hout)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monitoring and Documentation Unit\u2019s Publications<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Methodology<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This report is based on an online interview with Omar Mahmoud al-Hout\u2019s father, an interview over the phone with lawyer Ahmed Moawad who had earlier provided legal aid to al-Hout, and information provided by AFTE\u2019s Legal Aid Unit which is currently providing legal support to al-Hout.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Background<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Omar Mahmoud Ahmed al-Hout, 32, was a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Pharmacy at Zagazig University at the time of his arrest in 2014. He failed to take his exams that year, but he later resumed his study in prison and managed to obtain a bachelor of pharmacy.<\/p>\n

The security authorities targeted al-Hout over his activism at the university. He was a member of the Students\u2019 Union at Zagazig University. Although he had stopped participating in student activities since November 2013, the authorities continued to persecute him and arrested him in 2014. He was arrested in Nasr City and was investigated by the National Security police at the second New Cairo police station. He was released on bail and taken to Zagazig to implement the release procedures. Then, he was repeatedly prosecuted and it was found out that he was involved in five cases, including the demonstration case No. 3557 of 2013 (South Sharqia Full Court in 2013), in which he was sentenced to five years in prison and five more years of probation. His jail term, which he served in Wadi al-Natrun prison, ended on 5 January 2020. Since then, he has been recycled into six different cases, bringing the number of cases in which he was investigated to nearly 12, in which he faced almost the same charges.<\/p>\n

Al-Hout\u2019s father was arrested on 29 October 2014 \u2013 a month before his son was arrested \u2013 on charges of protesting, possessing anti-government publications, and joining a terrorist group. The father remained in detention until 24 May 2015, when he was acquitted of those charges.<\/p>\n

In this report, AFTE sheds light on the prolonged and continuous security and judicial targeting of Al-Hout against the backdrop of his activism at the university, even though he quit public work before his arrest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Al-Hout\u2019s arrest<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A police force arrested Al-Hout in a pharmacy he was working in in Nasr City on 23 November 2014. The force took him to his home in the Third Settlement neighbourhood, where they searched the place and found a note belonging to the Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture. After that, he was taken to the second New Cairo police station where he was interrogated by the head of the investigations department in connection with case No. 5736 of 2014 (First New Cairo administrative). Al-Hout was questioned about his political activity since 2009, the date of joining the National Association for Change, and his role in the 25 January revolution, especially in Sharqia Governorate. Al-Hout had quit all political and student activities and demonstrations in 2013.<\/p>\n

On 24 November 2014, Al-Hout was brought before the Public Prosecution, which remanded him in custody for four days. On the fourth day, he was taken to the National Security office in the Fifth Settlement, next to the second New Cairo police station, where he was interrogated for two hours. He was questioned about his link to the Muslim Brotherhood, joining the National Association for Change, his position towards the 30 June 2013 mass protests, and his participation in the sit-in staged by supporters of late Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in Rabaa al-Adawiya Square, east of Cairo.<\/p>\n

The investigation officer told Al-Hout that he was aware that he had quit political and student activities a year and a half ago, but \u201cwe are settling old scores with you over those things\u201d, according to a letter that Al-Hout sent to his father at the time.<\/p>\n

Al-Hout was released on a bail of 10,000 pounds on 2 January 2015. Three days later, he was transferred to the second Zagazig police station to carry out the procedures of his release, but he was surprised that he was listed in five cases. In two of these cases, namely Case No. 3389 of 2013 (South Zagazig Full Court – felonies ) and Case No. 2685 of 2013 (South Zagazig District Court – felonies), he received prison sentences in absentia. Later, he submitted a request asking for a retrial, and was consequently acquitted in both cases. He was also acquitted in two other cases, namely Case No. 3560 of 2013 (South Zagazig Full Court – felonies), and Case No. 3670 of 2013 (South Zagazig District Court – felonies), according to lawyer Ahmed Moawad, who was member of Al-Hout\u2019s defence panel at the time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Al-Hout sentenced to five years<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the fifth case, No. 3557 of 2013 (South Sharqia Full Court), the Public Prosecution charged Al-Hout, as well as 54 others, with rallying, blocking a road, displaying force, threatening to use violence, damaging public and private property, and resisting the authorities. On 4 February 2014, the case was referred to the Zagazig Criminal Court, which \u2013 on 26 May 2015 \u2013 sentenced Al-Hout to five years in prison and five more years of probation. He served his jail term in Wadi al-Natrun prison, where he resumed his pharmacy studies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A series of endless recycling<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n