Amnesty International on Feb. 19 called on the Egyptian government to release arbitrarily detained currently awaiting “unlawful” prosecution. The charges brought against them include disseminating false news, and involvement in anti-government protests.

According to Amnesty International, Egyptian security forces have "disappeared" around 59 people since December for posting and sharing social media content demanding an end to rights abuses and corruption under the authoritarian regime of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Amnesty stated that users took to social media to express their growing discontent on a Facebook page, called "Revolution of the Joints," and a Telegram channel of the same name. Egypt researcher at Amnesty International Mahmoud Shalaby stated that many Egyptian activists are protesting the government’s failure to address and resolve the ongoing economic crisis. Shalaby said: "People must be allowed to freely express their views on the government without the risk of arrest and arbitrary detention."

Shalaby stated that Egyptian authorities held seven of the activists in “incommunicado” detention, where they suffered abuse by authorities, until Feb. 8, when the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) formally charged them. When families pressed authorities for details about the prisoners' locations, officials denied holding them and refused to disclose further information. Lawyers representing the seven activists also revealed that government officials subjected the activists to interrogational torture, which included blindfolding, verbally insulting, and electrocuting them.

The Egyptian Human Rights Forum asserted that hundreds of political opponents and activists are still subjected to long pre-trial detention, as authorities renew detention periods without due process. Arbitrary detentions of human rights activists have continued even ahead of the UN Universal Period Review. Recently, prominent Egyptian human rights defender Hossam Bahgat also faced similar charges, sparking concern among international organizations.

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies reported in December that 12 Egyptian rights organizations presented to the government a series of recommendations to address the country’s growing number of human rights concerns. Groups demand an end to systemic torture in prisons, enforced disappearances, and the granting of access to the International Red Cross Committee to inspect detention facility conditions.

From JURIST, Feb. 19. Used with permission.