Bulletin Summary:
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Citizen Abdullah Ramadan has been forcibly disappeared again following 11 years of trials, release orders, and recycled charges (“rotation”).
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Authorities are prosecuting siblings of overseas dissidents, arresting them, charging them with terrorism-related offenses, and placing them in pretrial detention.
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A citizen’s pretrial detention was renewed despite a technical outage of the video display screen and in the absence of both the defendant and their defense counsel.
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Trials involving hundreds of citizens facing terrorism charges have been adjourned.
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The Court of Cassation has launched the “Heritage Legal Library,” making the first printed archive of the Egyptian judiciary.
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Demands have been raised to suspend the sessions of lawyers’ disciplinary boards pending a final ruling on the legality of their composition.
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An exceptional prison visit has been granted to inmates in celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday (al Mawlid al-Nabawi).
Bulletin Items:
First. Arrest and Enforced Disappearance:
Re-enforced Disappearance of Citizen Abdullah Following 11 Years of Trials, Release Orders, and Recycled Charges (“Rotation”): On August 27, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) announced via its Facebook page the re-enforced disappearance of citizen Abdullah Ramadan. This comes despite a release order issued by the Zagazig Criminal Court on August 9, 2026, following nearly 11 years of detention, recycled charges (“rotation”), and enforced disappearance.
If substantiated, the continued detention of a citizen following a judicial release order raises serious concerns regarding respect for the binding authority of judicial decisions and personal liberty guarantees. As a general rule, the execution of a release order cannot be obstructed without an independent and clear legal basis. Furthermore, concealing a detainee’s location or denying them communication with their attorney and family – if proven – constitutes a fundamental violation of their legal rights. This necessitates immediate disclosure of his whereabouts, verification of the legal basis for his ongoing detention, and the determination of legal responsibility for any unlawful actions.
Second. Interrogation Following Enforced Disappearance and Recycling into New Cases:
Prosecution, Arrest, and Pretrial Detention of Overseas Dissidents’ Siblings on Terrorism Charges: On August 17, the Supreme State Security Prosecution in Fifth Settlement interrogated citizen Ahmed Samir Mohamed Amin, an employee at the Ministry of Justice and brother of overseas political opponent Amr Abdel Hady, following a raid on their mother’s home on August 16 in her absence. He was charged with joining a terrorist group and committing a terrorism-financing offense in Case No. 6252 of 2026 (Supreme State Security).
On August 18 and 19, the same prosecution unit interrogated Iman Saber Hassan El-Shazly and Shaimaa Saber Hassan El-Shazly, sisters of overseas political opponent Mona El-Shazly, following their arrest from their home on August 16. They were charged with joining a terrorist group and committing a terrorism-financing offense in Case No. 4489 of 2026 (Supreme State Security Registry).
These incidents raise several legal and human rights concerns, particularly given the timing and manner of the arrests, as the individuals targeted are siblings of dissidents residing abroad. Criminal liability is strictly personal under the law; no individual may be held criminally responsible for the actions or political stances of another solely due to familial ties. Consequently, bringing charges of joining a terrorist group or financing terrorism must be grounded in specific evidence and direct actions attributed individually to the accused.
Third. Pre-trial Detention and its Violations:
Pretrial Detention Extended Remotely Despite Screen Outage and Absence of Defendant and Defense Counsel: On August 25, the Renewal Judge at the Gamaliya and Manshiya Summary Appeals Court, held at the South Cairo Court in Zeinhom and presided over by Counselor Ahmed Faisal, extended the pretrial detention of citizen Abdel Aaty Abdel Hafeez Abdel Hamid for 45 days. This extension comes in connection with Case No. 5490 of 2026 (Mokattam Misdemeanors), in which he is accused of joining a terrorist group.
The decision was made in the absence of both the defendant and his private defense counsel, following an announcement to attending lawyers that the session would not be held and was postponed due to a technical outage of the video display screen at the Mokattam Police Station.
Extending detention under these circumstances raises serious concerns regarding the guarantee of the defendant’s right to defense. Pretrial detention is an exceptional measure that must strictly adhere to legal safeguards, ensuring a genuine opportunity for defendants and their counsel to present arguments and petitions. Furthermore, technical failures in remote video conference systems should not, as a matter of principle, undermine or diminish defense guarantees unless alternative legal safeguards and procedures are provided to uphold the right to a fair trial.
Fourth. Trials:
The second half of August 2026 witnessed trials involving nearly 1,900 citizens across 58 cases, mostly State Security felonies, held before the Terrorism and Terrorism Appeal Circuits at the Badr Courts Complex inside the Badr Prison Complex. Several of these trials suffered from legal flaws and a lack of fair and impartial trial standards, including:
Infringement on the Right to Defense and Altercations with Lawyers: On August 18, Circuit 18 of the Ain Shams Criminal Court, convened at the North Cairo Court in Abbaseya, witnessed disputes between the Circuit Presiding Judge, Counselor Ezzat Hafez El-Oklah, and several defense attorneys. This stemmed from the judge’s insistence on curtailing defense rights, remarking, “I want the pleading to be wrapped up in a word and a half,” while rejecting key requests and forcing brief arguments. Although the court possesses administrative authority over hearings, this power must not diminish defense rights or prevent counsel from presenting essential arguments and petitions. Oversimplifying pleadings or summarily dismissing defense requests undermines fair trial guarantees, requiring a proper balance between orderly courtroom proceedings and allowing effective legal representation.
Inability to Produce Defendants Postpones the Trial of 261 Individuals inside Badr Prison Complex: On August 24, the Second Terrorism Circuit, presided over by Counselor Wagdi Abdel Moniem, with Counselors Abdel Galil Moftah and Diaa Amer as panel members—adjourned the trial of 261 defendants across three cases (No. 4481 of 2025 October Felonies, Case of 2022 El-Marg Felonies, and No. 3202 of 2025 Katameya Felonies) due to the failure to transport the defendants from their cells. This occurred despite the hearing being held directly inside the Badr Prison Complex, where most of the accused are detained. Failing to bring detainees to a trial held within their own facility raises serious concerns regarding their right to attend hearings and actively participate in their defense, a fundamental safeguard that should not be compromised by administrative or organizational obstacles.
Fifth. Operations of the Wings of Justice:
A) Judicial Council
Court of Cassation Launches “Heritage Legal Library” and Releases First Printed Record of Egyptian Judiciary: On August 26, the Court of Cassation launched the “Heritage Legal Library” and released the first printed record of the Egyptian judiciary, represented by the “Official Collection of the National Courts” originally published by the Ministry of Justice and printed at the Government Press since 1899. The initiative aims to revive this judicial heritage and make it accessible once again to judges, researchers, and lawyers. This step plays an important role in preserving Egypt’s judicial memory, enabling the tracking of legal principles and rulings, examining the roots of the Egyptian legal system, and leveraging this heritage to advance legal research and justice.
B) Lawyers
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Calls to Suspend Lawyers’ Disciplinary Boards Pending a Final Ruling on Their Legality: On August 23, human rights lawyer Tareq Khater published a statement on Facebook calling for the suspension of lawyers’ disciplinary board sessions. He argued that their current composition violates Supreme Constitutional Court Ruling No. 160 of Judicial Year 33 (“Constitutional”), issued in March 2019, which struck down Articles 107 and 116 of the Legal Profession Law as unconstitutional. Khater urged lawyers not to appear before these boards until the legality of their formation is resolved and offered to take the necessary legal actions to support lawyers subjected to disciplinary rulings or decisions since 2019. He emphasized that his position rests on defending constitutional legality and ensuring decisions originate from lawfully constituted bodies, not on shielding any attorney from legitimate disciplinary accountability.
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Remarks on “Perjured Witnesses” Spark Controversy Over Legal Ethics: On August 16, statements attributed to attorney Ahmed Haggag (known as “El-Arrab”) during a training seminar and a subsequent television appearance sparked widespread debate after he discussed utilizing “perjured witnesses” to mitigate sentences and secure better legal standing for clients. Following these remarks, the Egyptian Bar Association referred him to investigation and scheduled a hearing to record his testimony and proceed with legal measures based on professional ethics, honor, integrity, and uprightness. The association’s response highlights the critical role of professional syndicates in preserving legal standards and regulating conduct. A lawyer’s duty to defend a client never justifies illegal tactics or compromising judicial integrity; addressing such practices safeguards both the legal profession and public trust in advocacy as an essential pillar of justice.
Seventh: Prisons and Prisoners
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Exceptional Prison Visit Granted for Prophet’s Birthday (Mawlid al-Nabi): On August 18, the Ministry of Interior announced a one-time exceptional visit for prison inmates, not counted against their regular official visit allowance, from August 29 to October 1, 2026, in observance of the Prophet’s Birthday. While this represents a positive step toward fostering familial connection and supporting detainees’ psychological and social stability, the benefit does not appear equally accessible to all prisoners. Concerns remain particularly acute for those held in Badr 3 High-Security Prison, which has faced repeated criticism over detention conditions. Decisions regarding visitation rights should be effectively and comprehensively enforced without organizational or exceptional restrictions stripping specific groups of detainees of family contact, while upholding legal and humanitarian standards across all detention facilities.
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Transfer of 27 Detainees from Sharqia Police Stations to Maximum-Security Facilities: In a continuation of the practice of prisoner banishment (taghreeb), security forces in Sharqia Governorate transferred 27 pretrial detainees, held pursuant to Public Prosecution orders, from police facilities in Belbeis, Zagazig, El-Qurein, and Deyerb Negm to Port Said and Borg El-Arab Maximum-Security Prisons. Inmate transfer protocols must adhere to legal and humanitarian standards, including notifying families and defense counsel of the new detention locations. This ensures defense rights are not compromised and prevents imposing undue burdens on both families and legal representatives.