
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms Mary Lawlor, has expressed deep concern over the persistent application of Egypt's counter-terrorism legislation to detain human rights defenders. She highlighted several cases, including that of Mr Ibrahim Metwally, whose case Alkarama previously supported by submitting a complaint to the UN Special Procedures.
This statement was issued in a press release endorsed by other independent human rights experts, including Ms Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, and Mr Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights while Countering Terrorism.
The Special Rapporteur emphasised that "Egypt persists in routinely misusing counter-terrorism legislation and recycling criminal charges against human rights defenders." She added, "What is particularly striking is the continued detention of human rights defenders past their release date by repeatedly charging them with similar, if not identical, terrorism-related accusations, in a practice commonly known as “rotation” or “recycling."
Ms Lawlor previously raised her concerns on this issue in 22 communications addressed to the Egyptian Government since May 2020. Additionally, the Human Rights Committee drew attention to the practice of "rotation" in its concluding observations during Egypt’s most recent review in March 2023.
Three Specific Cases of Concern
The Special Rapporteur voiced particular apprehension regarding the use of the "rotation" practice to detain three human rights defenders for prolonged periods:
Ms Huda Abdel Moneim, a human rights lawyer, who completed her sentence in November 2023, yet faced retrial shortly thereafter;
Ms Aisha El-Shater, prosecuted alongside Huda Abdel Moneim in the same case and serving a 10-year sentence for identical charges;
Mr Ibrahim Metwally, a human rights defender and lawyer, who has been subjected to arbitrary detention without trial for over four years.
Alkarama's Advocacy
Mr Ibrahim Metwally was forcibly disappeared on 10 September 2017 at Cairo International Airport while en route to Geneva to attend a meeting with the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
Mr Metwally, a lawyer, serves as coordinator for the Association of Families of the Disappeared, an NGO he founded after the disappearance of his son, Omar Ibrahim Abdel Moneim, in July 2013. Omar remains missing to this day.
Following two days of enforced disappearance, Mr Metwally was brought before a State Security Court, where he faced charges of "establishing an unauthorised association, disseminating false information, and collaborating with foreign entities, including the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances." The court ordered his detention pending investigation at Tora Maximum Security Prison, commonly known as Scorpion Prison.
In response, on 11 September 2017, Alkarama submitted an urgent appeal to the Working Group and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, urging their intervention in Mr Metwally’s case. On 13 September, Alkarama informed the UN Special Procedures of his reappearance and renewed its call for urgent action, demanding that Egyptian authorities ensure his immediate release and safeguard his right to freedom of movement within and outside the country without fear of retaliation.
Over the years, Alkarama has persistently pursued Mr Metwally's case, including its submission as part of a report to the UN Secretary-General for his annual report on reprisals against individuals cooperating with the United Nations.
Alkarama reiterates the pressing need to cease the Egyptian authorities' systemic misuse of counter-terrorism legislation to suppress civil liberties and silence human rights defenders. Alkarama calls for the immediate release of prisoners of conscience, political opponents, and human rights activists.
Alkarama also conveys its profound concern for the wellbeing of the aforementioned defenders, given the dire conditions of their detention. All three have suffered severe health complications since their imprisonment and have been systematically denied adequate medical treatment, despite the gravity of their conditions – acts that may amount to both physical and psychological mistreatment.