First: Trials and the Judiciary
1- Trials
During the second half of June 2026, approximately 56 court hearings were held involving more than 2,000 defendants, most of them in State Security felony cases before the terrorism circuits at Badr Prison (“Badr Court Complex” inside Badr Prison), in addition to the appeal against the conviction of writer Ahmed Douma and the trial of physician Omnia Sweidan on charges of spreading false news. Several of these proceedings were marked by legal deficiencies and a failure to meet the standards of a fair trial, including:
● Defendants Absent from Hearings Classified as “In-Person” Trials
Although the Criminal Procedure Law requires defendants to be present at their trials, or otherwise for the proceedings to be considered trials in absentia, some courts and judges proceeded with hearings and classified them as in-person trials despite the absence of defendants who were in the custody of the Ministry of Interior. This constitutes a serious violation of the fundamental principles of a fair trial. Examples include:
On 17 June 2026, the First Terrorism Circuit of the Cairo Criminal Court, sitting at Badr Prison and presided over by Judge Mohamed Saeed El Sherbiny, with Judges Wael Omran and Gharib Ezzat as members, treated the trial of 33 defendants in Case No. 4991 of 2025 (Dar El Salam Felonies), publicly known as the Dar El Salam Cell Case, as an in-person hearing and adjourned it to 20 October 2026 to hear prosecution witnesses, despite the absence of several detained defendants.
The same circuit also adjourned the trial of 49 defendants in Case No. 14409 of 2025 (Omraniya Felonies), publicly known as the Omraniya Administrative Structure Case, to 20 October 2026 to hear prosecution witnesses, despite the absence of several detained defendants.
On Sunday, 21 June 2026, the Second Terrorism Circuit of the Cairo Criminal Court, sitting at Badr Prison and presided over by Judge Wagdy Abdel Moneim, with Judges Abdel Galil Muftah and Diaa Amer as members, adjourned the trial of 27 defendants in Case No. 500 of 2025 (October Felonies), publicly known as the October Terrorist Cell Case, to 10 August 2026 to summon prosecution witnesses, despite the court clerk confirming the absence of three defendants.
● Judgments Issued Without Effective Legal Defense
In a case where defense counsel was not afforded a genuine opportunity to present a defense and was compelled to deliver closing arguments during the same hearing in which the prosecution’s witness testified and the prosecution presented its closing arguments, the Second Terrorism Circuit of the Cairo Criminal Court, sitting at Badr Prison and presided over by Judge Wagdy Abdel Moneim, with Judges Abdel Galil Muftah and Diaa Amer as members, sentenced one defendant on 23 June 2026 to 15 years’ rigorous imprisonment in Case No. 1325 of 2026 (15 May Felonies) on the same charges.
2- Judges
● Proposal to grant additional financial benefits to judges and public prosecutors:
On 17 June, the Supreme Judicial Council announced that it is studying a proposal to grant additional monthly financial benefits to members of the judiciary and the Public Prosecution, to be paid from the savings account and its self-generated resources starting from the new fiscal year. In light of the current economic crisis and rising living costs, the announcement raises questions about the priority of granting financial advantages to a specific category of state employees at a time when the majority of citizens and public employees are bearing the effects of the economic situation without similar measures being taken to improve their incomes.
● Opening applications to recruit new members to the Court of Cassation Prosecution and the Technical Office during the new judicial year:
The Court of Cassation announced the opening of applications to recruit new members to the Court of Cassation Prosecution and the Technical Office during the new judicial year. The Court specified a number of conditions that applicants must meet:
The applicant must be among the presidents of primary courts or those of equivalent rank in the Public Prosecution or judiciary.
The nominee must have served as a judge in primary courts.
The nominee must have obtained a judicial inspection report rated above average.
The nominee’s record must be free of disciplinary sanctions.
Proficiency in computer use is required.
Second: Investigations, Pretrial Detention Renewals, and the Public Prosecution
● Suez Prosecution summons representatives of the Suez Bar Association over inappropriate language in an official communication
On 15 June, the Suez Public Prosecution Office, represented by Chief Prosecutor Ahmed Qassem, instructed the Chief of the Suez Police Department to summon Saeed Hassan, President of the Suez Bar Association, and members of the Association’s local council for questioning in Case No. 1314 of 2026 (Administrative – Suez Police Department) concerning the dispute over the Bar Association’s office at the Suez Primary Court.
The prosecution’s official communication contained language that demeaned and diminished the representatives’ professional status, referring to them as “the so-called” and requesting that the police “verify whether they are registered on the rolls of practicing lawyers,” despite the fact that they are the duly elected President and Council members of the Bar Association, whose official capacities are publicly known. By contrast, the same communication referred to the security officer using the respectful title “Mr. Commander of the Guard.”
The wording of the prosecution’s request triggered widespread anger among lawyers across Egypt, prompting the President of the Egyptian Bar Association and the General Bar Council to announce that they would take over the matter. The dispute remains unresolved.
● Renewal of detention while denying access to medical care
The Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the pretrial detention of film director Omar Salah Marei for 15 days pending investigation in State Security Case No. 3835 of 2026, on the same charges.
During the remote detention renewal hearing, Marei stated that he had not been examined by specialist doctors despite repeated requests by both himself and his defense team throughout previous hearings.
● Child detained in a terrorism case in violation of the law
On 15 June, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed, through the electronic remote detention renewal system, the pretrial detention of the child Reda Mohamed Mirghani for an additional 15 days in Supreme State Security Case No. 663 of 2026, in violation of the Child Law No. 12 of 1996.
The prosecution has been renewing Reda’s pretrial detention since February 2026 on allegations of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements.
Moreover, the prosecution has disregarded his alleged enforced disappearance following his arrest in mid-January 2026 from his family’s home in Abu Suwayr, Ismailia Governorate, where he was allegedly held outside the protection of the law.
Although his lawyers requested his release pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Law on the grounds that he is a minor, the prosecution nevertheless renewed his detention in violation of the law.
● Public Prosecution training workshops on handling crimes of violence against women
On 23 June, the Judicial Inspection Department organized six training workshops for 170 female members of the Public Prosecution from across Egypt under the title “Strengthening the Capacity of Female Public Prosecutors in Cases of Violence Against Women and Victim-Centered Approaches.”
The workshops were organized in cooperation with the World Bank and the National Council for Women. This initiative represents a positive step toward enhancing the professional capacity of Public Prosecution members and improving their ability to handle gender-based violence cases, thereby contributing to more effective protection for victims and improving the quality of justice procedures.
Third: Lawyers
● Assault on the Deputy Head of the South Sharqia Bar Association inside Zagazig Second Police Station
On 17 June 2026, Ahmed Atef Fayed, Deputy Head of the South Sharqia Bar Association, was subjected to verbal and physical assault by First Lieutenant Omar Ahmed Abdel Moneim while performing his official duties as a Bar Association representative.
Fayed was accompanying a lawyer to the Zagazig Second Police Station to file a police report when the officer allegedly prevented him from meeting the duty officer and from filing the report on behalf of the lawyer.
Following investigations that lasted nearly 12 hours, the Zagazig Public Prosecution ordered the release of both the lawyer and the first lieutenant on bail of EGP 2,000 each, after hearing their statements as both defendants and complainants.
Fourth: Prisons, Prisoners, and Detainees
● Unlawful detention and deteriorating health of labor leader Shady Mohamed
The right to health care is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed to detainees and requires that they have timely access to necessary medical examinations and treatment.
In this context, on 18 June 2026, the family of labor leader Shady Mohamed, who remains in pretrial detention outside the limits prescribed by law in Supreme State Security Case No. 1644 of 2024, announced that his health had deteriorated due to delays in receiving necessary medical examinations and the continued lack of treatment for a shoulder injury. His condition raises concerns regarding respect for his right to adequate medical care.
● Transfer of 29 detainees from Sharqia Governorate to Damanhour Prison
The security authorities continued transferring detainees between places of detention. On 18 June 2026, they transferred 29 detainees from the police stations of Abu Hammad, Minya al-Qamh, Al-Qurein, Abu Kabir, and New Salhia in Sharqia Governorate to Damanhour Prison.
The transfer of detainees to detention facilities far from their families’ places of residence increases the financial and logistical burdens on relatives and limits opportunities for direct family visits, which may adversely affect the preservation of family ties, an important humanitarian safeguard afforded to detainees.
● Enforced disappearance of an Egyptian journalist on the basis of his religious affiliation
On 22 June, Egyptian security forces arrested photojournalist Mohamed Haider Kandil outside his workplace at Al-Dostour newspaper, along with his brother-in-law Mostafa El Mubarak and approximately five other individuals.
The arrests took place as part of a security campaign targeting individuals associated with the Shi’a sect in the period leading up to Ashura commemorations. Kandil was taken to an undisclosed location and was not brought before the competent prosecutorial authorities.
Although his family sent a telegram to the Public Prosecutor on 24 June, the photojournalist remains in the custody of the security services. His continued incommunicado detention constitutes an ongoing case of enforced disappearance.