Egypt: Tarek Khidr arrested outside his university - now missing

Tarek Khidr, a student and human rights activist, was arrested on 26 March 2010 outside the main entrance of the University of Alexandria by the State Security Investigation (SSI) services, who took him to an unknown destination. His family have been looking for him ever since his disappearance and have not received any information as to his whereabouts.

Alkarama alerted the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) on 12 April 2010 requesting its urgent intervention with the Egyptian authorities.

Tarek Ahmed Mahmoud Mohamed Khidr, 21, lives in Al-Buheira, Alexandria, and is a 4th year student at the University of Alexandria's faculty of science. He is also a human rights activist and a member of Alexandria's "Victims for Human Rights" and "6th of April" movement.

The Khidr family knew that their son had been arrested when plain clothed SIS officers made a warrantless search of their home following his arrest on 26 March 2010. SSI officers asked her parents for information about Tarek's activities, particularly about his support for Mohammad ElBaradei, former director of the International Agency for Atomic Energy and an Egyptian presidential candidate for 2011. Previous to Tarek Khidr's arrest, his family was harassed by SSI officers due to Tarek Khidr's role in support of Mohammad Al-Baradei's candidature camapaign.

The Khidr family has sought any information regarding his whereabouts, the reasons for his arrest and where he is being held, however the authorities refuse to recognize his arrest. The family has now filed a complaint with Alexandria's Attorney General's office in the hopes that they might be able to negotiate his release. Despite all the family's efforts, nothing has yielding any results.

Tarek Khidr's arrest and disappearance is clearly a pinpointed effort by the Egyptian authorities to clamp down on those who peacefully campaign for a regime change. Tarek has been obviously been targeted for his activities as human rights defender and his membership to various peaceful opposition groups. With Khidr's disappearance, the Egypt authorities have sent a threatening message to citizens choosing to support independent political groups and continue to further suppress freedom of expression. Above all, the authorities' main aim is to burke support for Mohamad ElBaradei's presidential campaign.