Justice Observatory in Egypt from February 5 to February 10, 2024

Summary:

1. State Security investigations continue into 43 citizens on charges of terrorism and spreading false news.
2. The Supreme State Security Prosecution and the District Prosecutions in Zagazig investigated 60 citizens on terrorism charges.
3. One-year imprisonment and bail for Ahmed Tantawi in the case known in the media as the presidential powers of attorney case.
4. Cairo Criminal Court Terrorism Chambers in Badr Prison continue non-stop to renew the pretrial detention of dozens of citizens in State Security cases.
5. The rotation of 11 citizens in Sharqia, to new cases by the Supreme State Security Prosecution, after the disruption of procedures for their release.
6. Security forces in Sharqia release 9 citizens after completing their release procedures and receiving the National Security signal.
7. Ministry of Interior denies what some independent institutions had posted about the inmates of Wadi Natroun Prison going on a hunger strike to protest the conditions of detention inside the prison.

Details

1- Arrest and Detention (enforced disappearance)

Thursday 8 February

1. Security forces at the Police Station in Sharqia arrested citizen, Abdullah Muhammad Eid, from his home and took him to an unknown destination, without presenting him to any prosecution body.

2- Prosecution Investigations

 

• Supreme State Security Prosecution:

1. Supreme State Security Prosecution interrogated (during the newsletter’s coverage period) 39 citizens, and put them in pretrial detention for joining a terrorist group and financing and supplying a terrorist group.

 

• Public Prosecution:

Wednesday, 7 January

1. Zagazig Prosecution Office in Sharqia investigated Omar Al-Bitar, after arresting him from his home, enforcedly disappeared for 105 days, and accused him of joining a terrorist group and spreading false new.

 

Thursday, 8 January

1. Zagazig Prosecution Office in Sharqia investigated Ammar Mesbah Muhammad Abdel Rassoul, Abu Bakr Abdel Nasser Khaled, and Muhammad Abdel Nasser Khaled, after arresting them from their homes, and accused them of joining a terrorist group and spreading false new.

3- Rotation Pending New Cases:

Monday, 5 February

1. Faqous Prosecution Office in Sharqia investigated 4 citizens. They are Omar Hamdi, Farrag Salam Salama, Ahmed Ibrahim Suleiman, and Mahmoud Mostafa. This followed disrupting the procedures for their release from Zagazig Criminal Court, for exceeding the maximum limit of pretrial detention, and placed them in pretrial detention on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.

 

Tuesday, 6 February

1. Zagazig Total Prosecution in Sharqia investigated both Azouz Ahmed Abdel Halim, and Saber Mahmoud Saber. This followed disrupting the procedures for their release from Zagazig Criminal Court, for exceeding the maximum limit of pretrial detention, and placed them in pretrial detention on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.
2. Faqous Prosecution Office in Sharqia investigated 3 citizens. They are Abdullah Ibrahim Suleiman, Muhammad Mustafa, and Mabrouk Muhammad Mabrouk. This followed disrupting the procedures for their release from Zagazig Criminal Court, for exceeding the maximum limit of pretrial detention, and placed them in pretrial detention on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.

 

Wednesday, 7 February

1. Supreme State Security Prosecution in Cairo investigated both Said Ali Muhammad Mansour, and Saad Taha Othman. This followed disrupting the procedures for their release from Zagazig Criminal Court, for exceeding the maximum limit of pretrial detention, and placed them in pretrial detention on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.

4- Detention Renewal:

Tuesday, 6 February

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-III, in Badr Prison heard detention renewal sessions for dozens of citizens held in pre-trial detention pending cases. Cases No. are 900 of 2017, 1235 of 2019, 1270 of 2019, 1480 of 2019, 2007 of 2019, 569 of 2020, 577 of 2020, 615 of 2020, 984 of 2020, 1052 of 2020 595 of 2021, 965 of 2021, 2013 of 2021, 41 of 2022, 94 of 2022, 440 of 2022, 441 of 2022, 1493 of 2022, 1516 of 2022, 1910 of 2022, 1 of 2023, 191 of 2023, 1467 of 202 3, 1816 of 2023, 2125 of 2023, Supreme State Security.

 

Wednesday, 7 February

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-III, in Badr Prison heard detention renewal sessions for dozens of citizens held in pre-trial detention pending cases. Cases No. are 662 of 2020, 626 of 2021, 1935 of 2021, 1983 of 2021, 2380 of 2021, 41 of 2022, 2113 of 2022, 325 of 2023, 540 of 2023, including Moaz Al-Sharqawi, 1 977 of 2023, Supreme State Security.

 

Saturday, 10 February

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-II, in Badr Prison heard detention renewal sessions for dozens of citizens held in pre-trial detention pending cases. Cases No. are 630 of 2017, 930 of 2019, 1781 of 2019, 460 of 2020, 864 of 2020, 865 of 2020, 955 of 2020, including Hamdi Al-Zaeem, 968 of 2020, 1018 of 2020, 21 19 of 2020, 878 of 2021 2032 of 2021, 2213 of 2021, 2407 of 2021, 2467 of 2021, 2976 of 2021, 40 of 2022, 330 of 2022, 440 of 2022, 670 of 2022, 1233 of 20 22, 1564 of 2022, 1576 of 2022, 2031 Of 2022, 2184 of 2022, 2514 of 2022, 88 of 2023, 203 of 2023, 352 of 2023, 1976 of 2023, 2064 of 2023, 2124 of 2023, 2154 of 2023, Supreme State Security

 

Sunday, 11 February

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-II, in Badr Prison heard detention renewal sessions for dozens of citizens held in pre-trial detention pending cases. Cases No. are 977 of 2017, 1823 of 2019, 517 of 2020, 571 of 2020, 33 of 2021, 657 of 2021, 936 of 2021, 1624 of 2021, 2207 of 2021, 2313 of 2021 , 1020 of 2022, 1473 of 2022, 1540 Of 2022, 1650 of 2022, 2183 of 2022, 85 of 2023, 95 of 2023, 184 of 2023, 191 of 2023, 333 of 2023, 422 of 2023, 424 of 2023, 508 of 2 023, 716 of 2023, 718 of 2023 1978 of 2023, 2152 of 2023, Supreme State Security

 

5- Release from court:

Monday, 5 February

1. Belbeis Misdemeanor Court, Terrorism Chamber decided to acquit Mohammad Abd al-Hadi Abd al-Wahab al-Moselhi, with L.E. 5000 guarantee on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements.

 

Wednesday 7 February

1. Supreme State Security Prosecution released 60 citizens from pretrial detention pending cases whose investigations with the guarantee of their place of residence, including Manal Muhammad Agrama, Safaa Muhammad Hassan Hassan, and Hala Fahmi Bekhiet Diab.

6- Release from police custody:

Monday 5 February

1. Security forces in Al-Hussainia Police Station in Sharqia released both Gouda, Muhammad Azab Ibrahim, and Muhammad Taha Othman, implementing the decision by Zagazig Criminal Court.

 

Thursday, 6 February

1. The security forces at Abu Kebir Prosecution in Sharqia released Ahmed Al-Naggar and Essam Qandeel implementing the decision by Zagazig Criminal Court.
2. The security forces at Zagazig Police Station in Sharqia released Abdel Salam Tolba Muhammad Al-Said implementing the decision by Zagazig Criminal Court after detaining him for several days outside the framework of the law pending the arrival of the National Security signal.
3. Security forces at Ibrahimia Police Station released both Hassan Othman Al-Said Ali, Khaled Muhammad Ahmed Muhammad Al-Halawa, implementing the decision by Zagazig Criminal Court.

 

Wednesday, 7 February

1. Security forces at the Zagazig Police Station in Sharqia released Said Mohammad Abdul-Ghani Al-Batea implementing the decision by Zagazig Criminal Court.

 

Thursday, 8 February

1. Security forces at Abu Hammad Police Station in Sharqia released Mohammad Shaaban Abdel Wahab in implementing the decision by Zagazig Criminal Court.

7- Trials:

Monday, 5 February

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber –I, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 37 defendants in the case known in the media as The 5th Settlement Terrorist Cell case to the session on 20 April 2024.
2. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber –I, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 5 defendants in the case known in the media as Sohag ISIS cell case to the session on next day.

 

Tuesday 6 February

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-I, held in Badr Prison postponed the trail of 5 defendants, in the case known in the media as Sohag ISIS cell case to the sentencing session on 18 March 2024.

 

Saturday 10 February

1. Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-II, held in Badr Prison referred the trail of 22 defendant, in the case known in the media as the administrative structure of the Muslim Brotherhood, to Terrorism Chamber-I and to set a date for the session on 3 March 2024.

8- Judicial Rulings:

Tuesday 6 February 

1. Mataria Misdemeanor Court, ruled to punish the opposition and former parliamentary representative, Ahmed Tantawi, in the presence of him and 21 members of his presidential campaign, and in absentia for his electoral campaign manager. The sentence was 1-year imprisonment, 5 years ban to Tantawi of running in the parliamentary elections from the date of the final ruling in the case known in the media as the presidential powers of attorney case.

9- Legislations and decisions:

Monday 5 February

1. The Official Gazette published in its issue No. 5 bis C Law No. 3 of 2024 to secure and protect public and vital establishments and facilities in the country.

 

10- Statements:

Tuesday 6 February

1. The Egyptian Ministry of Interior denied, through its official Facebook page, the allegations about a number of inmates going on strike in one of the correctional and rehabilitation centers, adding and that things were proceeding normally in all correctional and rehabilitation centers and that all inmates are under their full care.

Legal Comment

Mataria Misdemeanor Court closed the curtain on the trial of former parliamentarian Ahmed Tantawi, his campaign manager for the presidential elections, and 21 members of his campaign. The court ruled in the case known in the media the presidential powers of attorney case.

The court ruled to punish the former parliamentarian in his presence with 1-year imprisonment and L.E. 20,000 bail to suspend the execution of the sentence until the appeal. The court also ruled to punish the election campaign manager in absentia with 1-year imprisonment with hard labor, and 1-year imprisonment in the presence of 21 accused male and female members of the campaign with hard labor.

The court finally ordered a 5 years ban to Tantawi of running in the parliamentary elections from the date of the final ruling.

 

The rotation of 9 citizens from Sharqia in new cases bearing the same charges as the cases for which they were previously released, continuing the rotation of citizens who obtained release decisions in cases of a political nature.

The decisions also entailed to remand them in pre-trial detention again based on the prepared investigation reports, drawn up and recorded by National Security officers.

 

The Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to release 60 citizens from pretrial detention pending cases related to Supreme State Security investigations. The decision raises an important question for the Supreme State Security Prosecution and members of public prosecutions regarding the fate of citizens in redressing the injustice they face, through the continued arbitrary pretrial detention, which requires guidance from the Public Prosecutor.

 

Moreover, the Public Prosecution described the decision in a statement on its official Facebook page, as implementing the directives of the Counselor/Public Prosecutor for Public Prosecutions of periodic review of the positions of pretrial detainees.