EFHR today monitored a decision of the State Security Prosecution- SSSP on April 4, 2024, to imprison ten citizens and political activists, including students, for 15 days pending case No. 1277/2024, on accusations of participating in a terrorist group and spreading false news. This came after a crackdown by security forces who arrested them in the evening of April 3 and the dawn of April 4, following their peaceful participation in a demonstration in front of the Journalists Syndicate in solidarity with Palestine. The defendants appeared before the prosecution amidst heavy security presence, and lawyers were restricted from entering the prosecution to provide legal support.
The names of the defendants who appeared in court today are:
- Mohammed Abdel Tawab, known as Mohammed Awad
- Mustafa Ahmed Ramadan Tawfik
- Ahmed Sabry Abdel Zaher Hassanein
- Taher Gamal El-Din Abdel Razek Al-Sayed
- Mahmoud Abdel Hady Abdel Mageed Gomaa
- Wael Ahmed Al-Sayed Mohammed
- Abdel Karim Magdi Abdel Karim Issa
- Mustafa Nasr Abdel Salam Ismail
- Ahmed Abdel Karim Mohammed Ahmed
- Omar Mahmoud Osman Ahmed
EFHR documented violations and the circumstances of their arrests, including Ahmed Abdel Karim Mohammed Ahmed (30 years old – working in tourism), who was arrested by security personnel in an ambush in Ras Ghareb after participating in the demonstration and while returning to Hurghada. He remained detained at the ambush site until being presented to the SSSP. Authorities also arrested two other defendants/ students from their homes before midnight and took them to the National Security headquarters in Abbasia for interrogation about the demonstration and how they knew about it. It is worth mentioning that after one of those mentioned above left the demonstration, he was stopped by four police officers near the Journalists Syndicate, asked for his national ID card, had a photo taken of it, and then was allowed to leave. Hours later, he was arrested at the address mentioned on his ID card.
It is worth noting that the solidarity demonstration with Palestine in front of the Journalists Syndicate yesterday was not the first of its kind since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. This demonstration, in addition to solidarity chants with Palestine, also featured chants criticizing the political authorities’ policies towards the war in Gaza and its impact on the deteriorating humanitarian situation, accusing the authorities of besieging the Strip. There were chants against the Sinai businessman close to the authorities, Ibrahim Al-Organi, who local and international media sources accuse him of profiting from his company “Hala” to facilitate the exit of individuals from Gaza to Egypt during the war.