September 9, 2024
Middle East Monitor – Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa
Egyptian Journalists take part during a protest against the arrests of fellow journalists outside the Egyptian Journalist syndicate headquarters in the capital Cairo on 3 May 2016 [Amr Sayed/ApaImages]
Egyptian Journalists Syndicate has reiterated its demand to release 23 journalists held in pretrial detention for expressing their opinion.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the syndicate’s Press Freedom Committee said several requests to release fellow journalists have been sent to the relevant state agencies, including the Public Prosecutor’s office, the Presidential Pardon Committee and the National Dialogue’s Board of Trustees.
The committee described the recent orders to arrest a number of journalists, or release others, as “negative” messages conveyed by the ruling regime, which reflect “a retreat from the steps that have been achieved in this file.”
It also stressed the need to reconsider the draft Criminal Procedures Law currently being discussed by the Legislative Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, and to present it for public dialogue, and not to pass it in a manner that does not match the aspirations of all component bodies of society, especially since it represents a fundamental pillar in the judicial system.
“The draft bill undermined all efforts made in the national dialogue sessions, which raises many questions and doubts about its effectiveness,” it said, adding that the national dialogue sessions have witnessed extensive discussions of the draft law’s articles related to pretrial detention leading to consensus on recommended amendments, however, the bill presented to the parliament came in the form of a comprehensive draft that neglects many of the recommendations.
Egypt: opposition figure’s detention renewed for fourth time
September 9, 2024
Egyptian police officer entering the Tora prison in the Egyptian capital Cairo, on 11 February 2020 [KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images]
The Egyptian Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed on Sunday the detention of prominent opposition figure and politician Yehia Hussein Abdel Hady for another 15 days. This is the fourth time that his detention has been renewed pending investigations. Abdel Hady is charged with “joining a terrorist group, misusing social media, spreading rumours and false news, financing terrorism and inciting the commission of a terrorist crime.”
He was arrested in the centre of Cairo by people in civilian clothes, most likely officers of the National Security Agency, because of an article he published under the heading, “How Long Will the Army Be Silent?” Yet again, no new evidence was provided to justify the renewal of his detention.
According to human rights lawyer Khaled Ali writing on Facebook on 31 July1, “Dr Abdel Jalil Mustafa told me that he was driving with Yehia Hussein Abdel Hady on Salah Salem Street, on their way to attend a symposium for the Hope Movement Party. While the car was stationery due to the traffic, he was surprised by a number of people wearing civilian clothes, who did not reveal their identities, forcibly removing him and taking him to an unknown location.”
A report is being submitted by Dr Mustafa to the Public Prosecutor describing what he witnessed, said the lawyer. “We hope to investigate the incident, uncover its circumstances, and gain access to the CCTV cameras on Salah Salem Street.”
Egyptian Journalists take part during a protest against the arrests of fellow journalists outside the Egyptian Journalist syndicate headquarters in the capital Cairo on 3 May 2016 [Amr Sayed/ApaImages]
Egyptian Journalists Syndicate has reiterated its demand to release 23 journalists held in pretrial detention for expressing their opinion.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the syndicate’s Press Freedom Committee said several requests to release fellow journalists have been sent to the relevant state agencies, including the Public Prosecutor’s office, the Presidential Pardon Committee and the National Dialogue’s Board of Trustees.
The committee described the recent orders to arrest a number of journalists, or release others, as “negative” messages conveyed by the ruling regime, which reflect “a retreat from the steps that have been achieved in this file.”
It also stressed the need to reconsider the draft Criminal Procedures Law currently being discussed by the Legislative Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, and to present it for public dialogue, and not to pass it in a manner that does not match the aspirations of all component bodies of society, especially since it represents a fundamental pillar in the judicial system.
“The draft bill undermined all efforts made in the national dialogue sessions, which raises many questions and doubts about its effectiveness,” it said, adding that the national dialogue sessions have witnessed extensive discussions of the draft law’s articles related to pretrial detention leading to consensus on recommended amendments, however, the bill presented to the parliament came in the form of a comprehensive draft that neglects many of the recommendations.
Egypt: opposition figure’s detention renewed for fourth time
September 9, 2024
Egyptian police officer entering the Tora prison in the Egyptian capital Cairo, on 11 February 2020 [KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images]
The Egyptian Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed on Sunday the detention of prominent opposition figure and politician Yehia Hussein Abdel Hady for another 15 days. This is the fourth time that his detention has been renewed pending investigations. Abdel Hady is charged with “joining a terrorist group, misusing social media, spreading rumours and false news, financing terrorism and inciting the commission of a terrorist crime.”
He was arrested in the centre of Cairo by people in civilian clothes, most likely officers of the National Security Agency, because of an article he published under the heading, “How Long Will the Army Be Silent?” Yet again, no new evidence was provided to justify the renewal of his detention.
According to human rights lawyer Khaled Ali writing on Facebook on 31 July1, “Dr Abdel Jalil Mustafa told me that he was driving with Yehia Hussein Abdel Hady on Salah Salem Street, on their way to attend a symposium for the Hope Movement Party. While the car was stationery due to the traffic, he was surprised by a number of people wearing civilian clothes, who did not reveal their identities, forcibly removing him and taking him to an unknown location.”
A report is being submitted by Dr Mustafa to the Public Prosecutor describing what he witnessed, said the lawyer. “We hope to investigate the incident, uncover its circumstances, and gain access to the CCTV cameras on Salah Salem Street.”
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