Articles for Egypt

On May 24, 2017, 21 news agencies’ websites* were blocked by the Egyptian authorities for “spreading lies” and “supporting terrorism.” The authorities made no official statement and did not inform the news agencies of their decision nor of its grounds. These websites, all known for being critical of the government, remain inaccessible from inside Egypt. The websites of several human rights organisations, including Alkarama and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, have also been targeted by Egyptian authorities.

Alkarama recently brought to the attention of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) the case of 14 men and 4 women*, among whom young students, human rights defenders, political opponents, peaceful activists, filmmakers and journalists. They were all abducted by the State Security, severely tortured in order to sign self-incriminating statements and charged with “belonging to a banned group”.

On 28 May 2017, nine journalists prosecuted in the “Raba’a Operations Room” mass trial were included in a new “terrorist list” issued by the Egyptian authorities. The document was published 20 days after the issuance of their final judgment: while five of them were released, four – Abdullah Alfakharany, Samhy Abdulalim, Mohamed Aladili and Youssouf Talat Abdulkarim – remain in detention at Al Aqrab prison.

On 19 June 2017, the High Military Court upheld on appeal the death sentence of seven men in the Kafr Al Sheikh Stadium bombing case. The men had been sentenced to the capital punishment in 2016 following a flawed trial solely based on statements obtained under brutal torture and testimonies of State Security officers. Should their sentence be carried out, their executions would be summary and constitute a severe violation of Egypt’s human rights obligations.

The “Kafr Al Sheikh Stadium bombing” case

Ibrahim Abdulrahman Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Aleem, a student of the Al-Azhar University and anti-government peaceful activist, was abducted on 23 June 2017 from his home in the village of Ramleh in the Qalyubia Governorate, by members of the Homeland Security and State Security Forces. Abdel Aleem was taken to an unknown location and remains missing since. His family, who tried to inquire about his fate and whereabouts with the authorities have been left without any information and are extremely concerned that he might be subjected to torture due to his activism.

Khaled Mohamed Hafez Mohamed Azzedine, a peaceful activist, was abducted four years ago in the center of Giza by members of the Egyptian Police Forces and the Army while participating to a peaceful demonstration. Azzedine was taken to an unknown location and remains disappeared since.

As the Egyptian authorities are under heavy criticism from rights groups and UN experts due to widespread violations of fundamental rights, on 7 June 2017, six students saw their death sentences upheld by the Court of Cassation in the “Mansoura Guard Killing Case”, after a seriously flawed trial solely based on coerced statements obtained under brutal torture. Should the death sentences be carried out, their execution would be summary and constitute a severe violation of Egypt’s human rights obligations.

Dr Hanane Baderraddine Abdalhafez Othman, a doctor in biology and human rights defender, was arrested on 6 May 2017 by members of the National Security Services at the Al Qanater Al Khayriyah Prison, where she went to inquire about the fate and whereabouts of her disappeared husband. This women, who is also very active in providing assistance and support to other women whose relatives were victims of enforced disappearance, was charged with “belonging to a banned group” and “forming a women’s organisation”.

On 12 May 2017, Alkarama sent urgent appeals to the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression (SRFRDX) and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) concerning the situation of the nine journalists prosecuted in the “Raba’a Operations Room” mass trial.

On 9 May 2017, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) concerning Khaled Saad Saad Abdallah , a 21-year-old student at the Faculty of Commerce of the Al Azhar University of Cairo, who was abducted on 24 April 2017 at home by members of the Police and National Security Forces.