Summary:

1. Interrogating Journalist Ammar Ali Hassan and charging him with publishing false news and statements, then acquitting him on bail.
2. Renewing the detention of researcher Samir al-Iskandarani and hundreds of other citizens in connection with Supreme State Security cases.
3. Life imprisonment and aggravated sentences were handed down to the defendants in the Agouza cell case.
4. Zagazig Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber, in Sharqia upheld the acquittal of 11 citizens after rejecting the appeal by the Public Prosecution.
5. Postponing the trial of hundreds of citizens in 20 cases before Terrorism Chambers over five days.
6. Ambassadors and diplomats visited prisons in the 10^thof Ramadan City.

Details

I. Prosecution Investigations:

• Supreme State SecurityProsecution:

During the bulletin’s coverage period; State Security Prosecution investigates dozens of citizens, who reappeared following varying periods of enforced disappearance, under the Anti-Terrorism Law and remanded in custody.

• PublicProsecution:

Thursday, 18 December

• 10^thof Ramadan-I Prosecution in Sharqia investigated Youssef Mohamed Ali after arresting him from his home, and then accused him of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements placing him in pretrial detention.

II. Detention Renewal:

Sunday, 14 December

• The Supreme State Security prosecution renewed the detention of Researcher Hani Sobhi for 15 days pending Case No. 7143 of 2025, Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a group established in violation of the law and the constitution.
• The Supreme State Security prosecution renewed the detention of Investigative Researcher Ismail El-Iskandarani for 15 days pending Case No. 6469 of 2025, Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a group established in violation of the law and the constitution.

Monday, 15 December

1. The Supreme State Security prosecution renewed the detention of Mohamed Adel Mabrouk for 15 days pending Case No. 6181 of 2025, Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a group established in violation of the law and the constitution.
2. The Supreme State Security prosecution renewed the detention of Mohamed Mohsen Zaki for 15 days pending Case No. 7136 of 2025, Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a group established in violation of the law and the constitution.
3. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber -II, held at Badr Prison considered a session to renew the detention of hundreds of citizens pending cases Nos. 880 of 2020, 65 of 2021 including activist Nermin Hussein, 2207 of 2021, 440 of 2022, 1977 of 2022, 294 of 2023, 716 of 2023, 3388 of 2023, 1644 of 2024 including both labour leader Shadi Mohamed and student Omar Al-Ansari, 4473 of 2024, 4474 of 2024, 6082 of 2024, 7169 of 2024, 7430 of 2024, 2 of 2025, 9 of 2025, 20 of 2025, 846 of 2025, 1124 of 2025, 1126 of 2025, 1183 Of 2025, 1604 of 2025, 2640 of 2025, 3099 of 2025, 3562 of 2025, 4025 of 2025, 4037 of 2025, 4285 of 2025, 4527 of 2025, 4649 Of 2025, 4791 of 2025, 4880 of 2025, 5000 of 2025, 5001 of 2025, 5003 of 2025, 5046 of 2025, 5054 of 2025, 5197 of 2025, 5232 Of 2025, 5233 of 2025, 6236 of 2025, Supreme State Security.

Tuesday, 16 December

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber -II, held at Badr Prison considered a session to renew the detention of hundreds of citizens pending cases Nos. 662 of 2020, 41 of 2022, 2216 of 2022, 325 of 2023, 744 of 2023, 2468 of 2023, 717 of 2024, 952 of 2024, 2806 of 2024, 3435 of 2024, 4091 of 2024, 4334 of 2024, 4399 of 2024, 6671 of 2024, 6788 of 2024, 1 of 2025, 4 of 2025, 816 of 2025, 1125 of 2025, 1517 of 2025, 1602 of 2025, 1772 of 2025, 2025 of 2025, 2479 of 2025, 2558 of 2025, 3722 of 2025, 4526 of 2025, 4881 of 2025, 6045 of 2025, 6184 of 2025, Supreme State Security.

Thursday, 18 December

1. Zagazig Criminal Court in Sharqia decided toaccept the appeal by the Public Prosecution against the acquittal of 7 individuals and ordered their continued detention for 45 days. They are Ali Hamdi Al-Aslougi, Bilal Adel Mohamed Hassan, Mohamed Abu Hashem, Mohamed Abu Saree, Mohamed Ibrahim Harb, Khalifa Khalifah, and Ahmed El-Sayed Hassan.

III. Acquittal:

Monday, 18 December

• Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to acquit journalist Ammar Ali Hassan in Case No. 10204 of 2025 and accused him of publishing false news and statements, on L.E. 20,000 bail.

Thursday, 20 December

• Zagazig Criminal Court in Sharqia decided to reject the appeal by the Public Prosecution and upheld the acquittal of 11 individuals on bail, requiring them to remain at their registered addresses. They are Ossama Mohamed Shaaban, Abdel Hamid Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shehata, Salah Mahmoud Saad, Mohamed El-Sayed Qutb Dawood, Osama Ibrahim Abdullah El-Sayed, Alaa Rabie Moussa, Ahmed El-Sayed Hosni, El-Sayed Mohamed El-Shahhhat, Mohamed Ahmed Selim, and Ibrahim Hassan.

IV. Release:

Thursday, 20 December

1. Security forces at 10^thof Ramadan-II Police Station in Sharqia released citizen Mohamed Mohamad El-Morsi after completing the release procedures and receiving notification from National Security.

V. Trials:

Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-II, held in Badr Prison reviewed 20 cases over 5 days and decided the following:

Sunday, 14 December

• Postponing the appeal of engineer Ahmed Aboul Fotouh, son of former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, against his 5-year prison sentence in Case No. 1059 of 2021, known in the media as the case of the Strong Egypt Student Movement case to the sentencing session of 9 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 199 defendant, in Case No. 13989 of 2024, New Cairo Felonies, known in the media as the case of the Administrative Structure of the Muslim Brotherhood in New Cairo to the session of 23 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 86 defendants, in Case No. 7347 of 2025, Nozha Felonies, known in the media as the case of Nozha Terrorist Cell to the session of 22 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 139 defendants, in Case No. No. 686 of 2025, 5^thSettlement Felonies, known in the media as the case of the Administrative Structure of the Muslim Brotherhood, to the session of 21 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 312 defendants, in Case No. 14256 of 2024, Nasr City-I Felonies, known in the media as the case of Al-Nasra Cell, to the session of 21 February 2026.

Monday, 15 December

• Postponing the retrial of 56 defendants, in Case No. 13987 of 2024, Settlement Felonies, known in the media as the case of Restructuring Administrative Structure of the Muslim Brotherhood, to the session of 11 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 116 defendants, in Case No. 12785 of 2024, New Cairo Felonies, known in the media as the case of the New Cairo Cell to the session of 22 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 9 defendant, in Case No. 713 of 2025, Mataria Felonies, known in the media as the case of the Mataria Cell to the session of 8 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 6 defendants, in Case No. 901 of 2025, Maadi Felonies, known in the media as the case of Maadi Cell to the session of 8 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 25 defendants, in Case No. 2698 of 2025, Al-Daher Felonies, known in the media as the case of Al-Daher Cell to the session of 10 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 6 defendants, in Case No. 13330 of 2023, Marg Felonies, known in the media as the case of 3^rdMarg Cell to the session of 10 January 2026.

Tuesday, 16 December

• Postponing the retrial of Aisha El-Shater and 26 defendants, in Case No. 21582 of 2024, 1^stSettlement Felonies known in the media as the case of the 1^st Settlement Cell, to the session of 10 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 64 defendants, in Case No. 6518 of 2023, New Cairo Felonies, known in the media as the case of the New Cairo Cell to the session of 24 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 54 defendants, in Case No. 14255 of 2024, Nasr City-I Felonies, known in the media as the case of the Administrative Structure of the Muslim Brotherhood to the session of 23 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 38 defendants, in Case No. 587 of 2025, Nasr City-I Felonies, known in the Nasr City Cell, as to the session of 24 February 2026.
• Postponed the retrial of 1 defendant, in Case No. 2290 of 2013, Abdeen Felonies, known in the media as the case of the Abdeen Violence Incidents to the sentencing session of 31 December 2025.

Wednesday, 17 December

• Postponing the retrial of 6 defendants, in Case No. 4007 of 2025, 6^thof October Felonies, known in the media as the case of the October ISIS Cell, to the session of 13 January 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 10 defendants, in Case No. 579 of 2025, Settlement Felonies, known in the media as the case of the Media Cell to the session of 7 February 2026.
• Postponing the retrial of 73 defendants, in Case No. 11926 of 2022, 5^thSettlement Felonies, known in the media as the case of the Settlement Cell, to the session of 24 February 2026.

Saturday, 20 December

• Postponing retrial of 11 defendants, in Case No. 33779 of 2024, Haram Felonies, known in the media as the El-Marg Cell case, to the sentencing session on 25 February, 2026.

VI. Judicial Rulings:

Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Appeals Chamber-I, held in Badr Prison sentenced 12 defendants to life imprisonment and aggravated imprisonment in 2 separate cases, as follows:

Monday, 15 December

• 4 defendants sentenced to life imprisonment, 2 defendants to 15 years of aggravated imprisonment, and 3 defendants to 5 years of aggravated imprisonment in Case No. 13052 of 2022, Agouza Misdemeanors, known in the media as the Agouza Cell case.

Tuesday, 16 December

1. 3 defendants sentenced to 5 years of aggravated imprisonment in Case No. 3257 of 2023, El Marg Misdemeanors, known in the media as the El Marg Terrorist Cell case.

VII. Statements and Information:

Friday, 19 December

• Ministry of Interior issued a statement denying reports circulating on a social media page regarding the exemption of vehicles of officers vehicles from taxes, fees, and licensing costs.

Saturday, 20 December

• The Ministry of Interior posted on itsofficial Facebook page about a visit by a delegation of ambassadors and diplomats accredited to the Arab Republic of Egypt to the 10^th of Ramadan Prison to learn about rehabilitation and reform programs.

Legal Comment

The visit by the diplomatic delegation to the 10^th of Ramadan Prison comes within the framework of what is declared as a commitment to transparency and respect for the legal standards governing detention conditions.

However, from a legal perspective, these visits raise a legitimate question about the extent to which they represent the actual reality reflected in the repeated complaints from the families of detainees and prisoners, particularly regarding treatment during visits.

While the visit is supposed to be an evaluation tool, the complaints from the families point to procedural practices characterized by severity or abuse, which may render the right to visitation—as a legal and humanitarian guarantee—meaningless, which raises a logical question: Are detention conditions assessed according to the general rule, or according to the pre-established exception for official visits? Legally speaking, the standard of respect for rights is not measured by a single visit or a protocol tour, but rather by consistent daily practice, especially concerning the rights of the families of the detainees to dignified treatment, while exercising their right to visit, which is a right guaranteed by law and prison regulations.

Writer Ammar Ali Hassan was investigated following a complaint filed by the Ministry of Transport, because of a Facebook post – which was later deleted –

sending a negative message that even criticism can lead to criminal prosecution, which contradicts the principle of freedom of expression.