Summary:
- Investigation of 12 citizens in Sharqia on terrorism charges.
- Renewal of detention of hundreds of citizens, including journalist Said Saber and broadcaster Ahmed Sirag.
- Release of 15 citizens in Sharqia on bail and precautionary measures.
- Rotation of 6 citizens in Sharqia by orders from National Security.
- Public Prosecution inspects several police stations and prisons in several governorates.
Details
I. Prosecution Investigations:
- Supreme State Security Prosecution:
During the bulletin’s coverage period; State Security Prosecution investigates dozens of citizens, under the Anti-Terrorism Law and remanded in custody.
- Public Prosecution:
Monday, 19 May
- Zagazig Total Prosecution in Sharqia investigated both Shehata Mohamed Ibrahim after a 25-day disappearance, and Mohamed Ali Mahmoud after a 110-day disappearance on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements placing him in pretrial detention.
Tuesday, 20 May
- 10th of Ramadan Prosecution in Sharqia investigated Shaaban Ashri Abdel Moneim on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements placing him in pretrial detention.
Thursday, 22 May
- Mashtoul El-Souq Prosecution in Sharqia investigated Mohamed Ali Shehata and Mustafa Allam after arresting them from their homes and accusing them of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements then placing them in pretrial detention.
- Belbeis and Menia El-Qamh Prosecutions in Sharqia investigated 4 citizens after arresting them from their homes and accusing them of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements then placing them in pretrial detention. They are Ismail Al-Meteib, Mohamed Samir, Mohamed Ahmed Rafi, and Ahmed Taha Mohamed Gad Allah.
Saturday, 24 May
- Faqous Prosecution in Sharqia investigated 3 citizens after arresting them from their homes, accusing them of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements and then kept them in pretrial detention. They are Mohamed Al-Shawadfi, Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, and Hossam Omar.
II. Rotation
Monday, 19 May
- Zagazig Total Prosecution in Sharqia investigated Ahmed Radwan, following the obstruction of his release procedures, on charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and was placed in pretrial detention.
Tuesday, 20 May
- Zagazig Total Prosecution in Sharqia investigated Abdullah Ali Qoura, following the obstruction of his release procedures, on charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and was placed in pretrial detention.
Saturday, 24 May
- Zagazig Total Prosecution in Sharqia investigated 4 citizens, following the obstruction of their release procedures, on charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and was placed in pretrial detention. They are Adel Mohamed Abdel Samie Askar, Mahmoud Abdel Atti Atta, Ibrahim El-Saeed El-Said, and Abdel Hakim Ismail Abdel Rahman.
III. Detention Renewal:
Sunday, 18 May
- The Supreme State Security prosecution renewed the detention of poet and presenter for the Zat Misr news website, Ahmed Sirag for 15 days pending investigations into Case No. 7 of 2025, Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a group established in violation of the law and the constitution.
Monday, 19 May
- Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of Marwa Abu Zaid citizens for 15 days pending case No. 7887 of 2024, Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a terrorist group and publishing false news and statements.
Tuesday, 20 May
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber -I, held at Badr Prison considered a session to renew the detention of hundreds of citizens pending cases Nos. 205 of 2015, 1365 of 2018, 1530 of 2019, 621 of 2020, 1564 of 2022, 2064 of 2023, 3226 of 2023, 3620 of 2023, and 165 of 2024 including activist Ahmed Hamdy, known as Ahmed Jeeka, 282 of 2024, 664 of 2024, and 1282 of 2024 including journalist Khaled Mamdouh, 2807 of 2024, 3528 of 2024, 3972 of 2024, and 4277 of 2024. 4499 of 2024, 6170 of 2024, 6499 of 2024 including journalist Said Saber, 6672 of 2024, 7278 of 2024, 3 of 2025, Supreme State Security.
Wednesday, 21 May
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber -I, held at Badr Prison considered a session to renew the detention of hundreds of citizens pending cases Nos. 915 of 2021, 633 of 2022, 2135 of 2022, 2152 of 2023, 281 of 2024, 665 of 2024, 2490 of 2024, 3434 of 2024, 4940 of 2024, 7239 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
IV. Acquittal:
Tuesday, 20 May
- Zagazig Criminal Court in Sharqia decided to acquit 6 citizens on bail, on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news. They are Ahmed Hamdi Saad, Samir Mohamed Amin, Ahmed Hassan Abdel Aziz Shehata, Ahmed Hilal Abdel Moeti Hilal, Khaled Saeed Abdel Hamid, and Omar El Sayed Abdel Khaleq.
Thursday, 22 May
- Belbeis Misdemeanor Appeals Court in Sharqia accepted the appeal by 5 defendants against their pretrial detention and ordered their acquittal with precautionary measures on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news. They are Ahmed Sabry Ahmed El Khatib, Ibrahim Abdel Nasser, Riad Ali Saadoun, Sohaib El Sayed, and Mohamed Fahmy Hassouna.
- Zagazig Criminal Court in Sharqia decided to acquit 4 defendants with precautionary measures on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news. They are Abdullah Moussa Mohamed, Mohamed Abdel Shafei Mustafa, Ragab Shehata, and Sherif Abdel Hamid.
V. Trials:
Sunday, 18 May
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-I, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 9 defendants, in Case No. 43150 of 2015, Nasr City, known as the case of the Rabia Sit-in Dispersal to the session of 21 July 2025.
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-I, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 1 defendant, in Case No. 32 of 2021, Warraq State Security, known as the case of the Warraq Terrorist Cell to the session of 21 July 2025.
Monday, 19 May
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-I, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 3 defendants, in Case No. 1320 of 2024, 5th Settlement, known as the case of Gabha Front Cell to the session of 2 August 2025.
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-I, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 1 defendant, in Case No. 13052 of 2022, Agouza, known as the case of the “Agouza Terrorist Cell” to the session of 2 August 2025.
Tuesday, 20 May
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-I, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 11 defendants, in Case No. 259 of 2025, known in the medica as the case of he “Smuggling Cell Case to the session on 16 June 2025.
Saturday, 24 May
- Cairo Criminal Court, Terrorism Chamber-II, held in Badr Prison postponed the retrial of 57 defendants, in Case No. 4743 of 2024, Shorouq Felonies, known in the medica as the case of the Specialized Committees of the Muslim Brotherhood.
VI. Statements and Information:
Monday, 19 May
- Public Prosecution published a statement on its official page regarding the inspection of police stations (Banha-I, El-Mahalla El-Kubra, Beni Suef, Abu Qurqas, Kafr El-Dawar, El-Qousia, Gerga, and Abu Homs).
Legal Comment
Trials and detention renewal hearings continue to be held inside detention facilities, instead of regular courts, which undermines fair trial guarantees and establishes an exceptional situation that has become the norm, despite the fact that it lacks the rights of both defendants and their lawyers.
This situation directly restricts the right of the defense to freely and effectively communicate with their clients, prevents hearings from being public, and renders judicial oversight of detention facilities a mere formality.
The danger increases with the continued expansion by the Supreme State Security Prosecution of referring thousands of citizens to politically charged cases, formulated using repetitive and vague terms, such as “joining a terrorist group” or “spreading false news,” without providing substantive evidence.
Such practices demolish justice as well as transform the right to defense and public hearing before a regular judge into an exceptional privilege that can be granted or withheld, violating the Egypt’s constitutional and international obligations, and creates a dangerous gap between the citizens and the justice system.