Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR) monitored the appearance of Ahmed Samir Abdel-Hai Ali, researcher and master’s student at Central European University before the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP), after six days of enforced disappearance. The SSSP charged Samir with joining a terrorist organization, publishing fake news, and using a personal account on the internet to publish fake news pending case 65/2021. Samir was arrested and forcibly disappeared by National Security Police on 1 February 2021 at 12 PM. Samir testified during the investigation with the SSSP that he was tortured during interrogations with National Security Police, alleging that he was severely beaten on his body and slapped on his face in an attempt to force him to confess to joining the Muslim Brotherhood and the Ultras.
Samir also testified before the SSSP that he was forcibly disappeared for six days.After he was interrogated by the National Security police in the Fifth Settlement Police Station on 1 February, he was illegally detained in the First Settlement Police Station, then transferred to the National Security Headquarters in Abbaseyya until he was presented before the SSSP today.
Ahmed, who was living in Vienna, returned to Egypt on 15 December 2020 for the winter break. Upon arrival at the Sharm Elsheikh International Airport, he was stopped and interrogated by airport police but was not detained. On Saturday, 23 January 2021 at 2 am in morning, armed and masked Central Security forces stormed Ahmed’s house in the First Settlement in Cairo. Although the police did not present a warrant, they searched the entire building, took pictures of everyone’s ID cards, and took the footage from two security cameras in the building. In compliance with orders given to his family that he should report to the National Security office, Ahmed voluntarily presented himself on 1 February, accompanied by his father who remained there awaiting his release. He was interrogated by the National Security police absent of legal counsel. He has not been seen or heard from since. The Fifth Settlement Police Station, where he was last seen by his father, denies any knowledge of his whereabouts. His family sent telegrams to the General Prosecutor and other relevant authorities inquiring about his whereabouts and demanding his release but have received no response.