The Supreme State Security Prosecution -SSSP released human rights lawyer Mahinour El-Masry on bail of fifty thousand Egyptian pounds in Case No. 6322 of 2025, after investigating her on charges of “spreading false news and statements inside and outside the country.” This followed complaints filed by 13 citizens from various governorates in August, based on posts she wrote and shared on her social media pages, without allowing her or her defense team access to the content of these complaints or knowledge of their details.
This incident reveals a recurring pattern of malicious complaints filed by random citizens, used as a tool to intimidate and silence opponents. Previously, journalist Rasha Qandeel faced 31 such malicious complaints in May over a newspaper article, and activist Ahmed Douma was targeted in November 2024 with a complaint filed by a member of the “Youth Parties Coordination” after he published news about an Israeli warship passing through the Suez Canal.
EFHR calls for an end to the ongoing targeting of politicians and opposition figures through various tools, including malicious complaints, ensuring the release of those detained in connection with them, and protecting citizens’ right to express their opinions without fear of prosecution or imprisonment. EFHR emphasizes that these practices aim to silence opponents and raise the cost of their peaceful political activity, revealing the authorities’ desire to restrict freedom of expression, even when they publicly claim otherwise.