Today, the Egyptian Front for Human Rights monitored the investigation of Hani Basit Ali Suleiman (23 years old – a car broker) before the Supreme State Security Prosecution- SSSP. Suleiman, a resident of Matrouh City in northwest Egypt, was arrested on October 2, 2023, following limited protests by citizens against the current regime. This protest took place after an event organized to support the current president’s candidacy.
Suleiman was arrested while filming with his phone and assaulted during the arrest by security forces. He was taken to the Matrouh police station, then to the security forces headquarters in Matrouh. There, he was subjected to further assault, including eye covering, and was illegally interrogated. He remained detained there for about four days until his appearance today, along with others, in case No. 2203/ 2023, on accusations of joining a terrorist group, financing it, publishing false news, and misusing social media.
It is worth noting that the SSSP witnessed the appearance of at least seven citizens arrested from Matrouh city in connection with these protests, including children. They were all investigated in two State Security cases, and were accused of joining a terrorist group, publishing false news, and misusing social media. Below are the details of six of them:
Case 2202 of 2023:
- Ali Jamal Mohamed Omar Rahim, 14 years old
- Abdel Rahman Sadeqi Break, 16 years old
Case 2203 of 2023:
- Ahmed Mohamed Hamed, 28 years old.
- Abdullah Zorouq Awad, 17 years old
- Ahmed Ragab Ibrahim Mohamed, 17 years old.
- Hani Basit Ali Suleiman, 23 years old.
The Secretary-General of the Sub-branch Lawyers Syndicate in Matrouh, Saleh Abu Atiya, had previously stated that the number of those detained in these events reached 400 individuals, including young people. The Egyptian Front was unable to verify the accuracy of this number.