The EFHR documented on November 17 and 18, 2024, the investigation of WHRD Hoda Abdelmonem and Aisha Al-Shater in connection with a new case (Case No. 800 of 2019 – State Security). The prosecution charged them with joining and financing a terrorist group. This development occurred despite their prolonged arbitrary detention, which has lasted approximately six years in connection with other cases.
On November 17, Hoda Abdelmonem was interrogated, despite having been held in pretrial detention for nearly a year in connection with Case No. 730 of 2020, after serving a five-year sentence in Case No. 1552 of 2018. Upon completing her sentence, Hoda was shocked to find herself “rotated” into the new case with nearly identical charges related to joining and financing a terrorist organization. This marks the third case filed against her since her arrest.
As for Aisha Al-Shater, she was interrogated on November 18 in connection with the same case. She was accused of joining an unlawful organization while still serving a sentence in another case. It is expected that this new case may also be referred to trial soon.
It is worth noting that Case No. 800 of 2019 (State Security) previously included several defendants from what became known as the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms case. Several defendants were “rotated” into this case for several months before being released, including Ola Al-Qaradawi, who was also later released.
Security forces arrested Hoda Abdelmonem (a lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights), Aisha Al-Shater, and several members of the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms in late 2018. They were held in pretrial detention in Case No. 1552 of 2018. The verdict in this case was issued in 2023, sentencing Hoda Abdelmonem to five years in prison and Aisha Al-Shater to ten years.