Egyptian politician who vowed to run for president returns to Egypt, after relatives were detained
1 year, 7 months ago

Egyptian politician who vowed to run for president returns to Egypt, after relatives were detained

Associated Press  

LONDON — An Egyptian politician vowing to run in the country’s presidential elections next year returned to Egypt Thursday, days after announcing that his relatives had been detained. “I ask your permission for five days to spend in the bosom of my family who need me and I need them.” Next year’s presidential election is widely anticipated to be a foregone conclusion in favor of the incumbent President Abdel Fatah el-Sissi, who has overseen a sharp crackdown on political opposition. Human Rights Watch say the North African country has detained as many as 60,000 political prisoners, although el-Sissi and other Egyptian politicians have rejected this claim. The Egyptian government’s rights record came under intense scrutiny last year, during its hosting of the international climate summit in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.

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History of this topic

Family and rights groups urge Egypt to free imprisoned activist as his 5-year sentence ends
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Family and rights groups urge Egypt to free imprisoned activist as his 5-year sentence ends

Associated Press  

LONDON — Rights groups and the family of convicted Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah on Thursday called on authorities to release him at the end of his five-year sentence next week. The 42-year old activist spent most of the past decade behind bars and his detention has become a symbol of Egypt’s return to autocratic rule under President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. …

Family and rights groups urge Egypt to free imprisoned activist as his 5-year sentence ends
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Family and rights groups urge Egypt to free imprisoned activist as his 5-year sentence ends

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rights groups and the family …

Rights group sees retaliation as the motive for jailing an Egyptian presidential challenger
11 months ago

Rights group sees retaliation as the motive for jailing an Egyptian presidential challenger

Associated Press  

CAIRO — A leading human rights group dismissed on Thursday the conviction of a prominent Egyptian political activist as an act of retaliation for his decision to challenge President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in last year’s presidential election. On Tuesday, a Cairo misdemeanor court sentenced former presidential hopeful Ahmed Altantawy, along with 22 of his aides, including his campaign manager, to …

Egyptian rights group says 73 supporters of a presidential challenger have been arrested
1 year, 3 months ago

Egyptian rights group says 73 supporters of a presidential challenger have been arrested

Associated Press  

CAIRO — Egyptian authorities have detained at least 73 campaign volunteers for a challenger to incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in the December election, a rights group said Tuesday. Egypt’s chairman of the National Election Authority, Waleed Hamza, on Monday announced details of elections due by next year, saying the presidential polling would be held over three days in December. …

Egypt’s President el-Sisi pardons prominent activist Douma, other prisoners
1 year, 4 months ago

Egypt’s President el-Sisi pardons prominent activist Douma, other prisoners

Al Jazeera  

Egyptian activist Ahmed Douma, a leading figure in 2011 uprising, has been granted a presidential pardon, lawyers say. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has pardoned a number of prisoners, including prominent Egyptian activist Ahmed Douma, state TV and lawyers have said. “President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi … has used his constitutional powers” to pardon several prisoners including Douma, said lawyer Tarek …

Two prominent Egyptian rights figures are released from prison following presidential pardons
1 year, 5 months ago

Two prominent Egyptian rights figures are released from prison following presidential pardons

Associated Press  

CAIRO — Egypt on Thursday released two human rights defenders, including one who has ties with Italy, their lawyers said, concluding two cases that drew significant international criticism and attention. Zaki said he hoped to arrive in Italy “in the next two days,’’ the Italian news agency ANSA said, in a written article. In a recorded speech late Wednesday, Italian …

Egypt presidential hopeful says supporters, uncles detained
1 year, 8 months ago

Egypt presidential hopeful says supporters, uncles detained

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — An Egyptian politician residing abroad and planning to run in the country’s presidential elections next year said on Friday that two of his uncles and a group of friends and supporters have been detained in recent days. Human rights lawyer Khaled Ali said in a social media post that 10 supporters from Altantawy’s former constituency were brought in …

Egyptian ex-MP planning presidential bid says relatives arrested
1 year, 8 months ago

Egyptian ex-MP planning presidential bid says relatives arrested

Al Jazeera  

Former Egyptian MP Ahmed Eltantawy says relatives and friends arrested in advance of an intended presidential election bid. Egyptian authorities have arrested two male relatives and three friends of former Member of Parliament Ahmed Eltantawy, he said, shortly before his announced return home before an intended presidential election bid. Nabeh Elganadi, a lawyer for the independent Egyptian Initiative for Personal …

Egypt announces freedom, mass pardon for 30 jailed activists
2 years, 1 month ago

Egypt announces freedom, mass pardon for 30 jailed activists

Associated Press  

CAIRO — Egypt announced late Thursday the release of 30 political activists from jail, the latest in a series of mass releases from detention amid intensifying international scrutiny over the country’s human rights record. He said the 30 had been in pre-trial detention, facing charges related to their “opinions.” El-Awady later posted photographs, describing them as showing several of the …

Who is Alaa Abd el-Fattah and why is he imprisoned in Egypt?
2 years, 2 months ago

Who is Alaa Abd el-Fattah and why is he imprisoned in Egypt?

Al Jazeera  

The Egyptian-British activist stopped drinking water on Sunday in an effort to bring attention to his plight as COP27 began. Concern over the fate of jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah is growing as he continues to stage a hunger strike in protest against his years-long detention by Egyptian authorities on charges of spreading disinformation. The UK government has said …

UN rights chief: Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s life in great danger
2 years, 2 months ago

UN rights chief: Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s life in great danger

Al Jazeera  

The life of jailed hunger striker Alaa Abd el-Fattah is in great danger, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said, renewing a call for Egypt to immediately release him. “I urge the Egyptian government to immediately release Abd el-Fattah from prison and provide him with the necessary medical treatment,” Turk said in a statement on Tuesday, …

Amnesty: Egypt has days to save jailed activist’s life
2 years, 2 months ago

Amnesty: Egypt has days to save jailed activist’s life

Associated Press  

CAIRO — Amnesty International’s head on Sunday warned that the proceedings of COP27 in Egypt could be stained by the death of one of the country’s leading rights activists from a hunger and water strike in prison if Egyptian authorities do not release him within days. Secretary General of Amnesty International Agnes Callamard said Egypt had no more than 72 …

Egypt court sentences 2 aged Islamist leaders to 15 years
2 years, 7 months ago

Egypt court sentences 2 aged Islamist leaders to 15 years

Associated Press  

CAIRO — An Egyptian court on Sunday sentenced two aged Islamist leaders to 15 years in prison for disseminating false news and inciting against state institutions. Along with Abdel-Monaem Abul Fetouh, a former presidential candidate and head of the Islamist Strong Egypt party, and Mahmoud Ezzat, the acting leader of the Muslim Brotherhood group, the Supreme State Security Court gave …

Egypt jails leading activist Alaa Abdel Fattah for five years
3 years ago

Egypt jails leading activist Alaa Abdel Fattah for five years

Al Jazeera  

Egypt sentences Abdel Fattah, a leading figure in the 2011 revolution, to jail with two others for speaking ‘fake news’. Prominent Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah has been sentenced to five years in prison, his sister and a judicial source said, after being tried on charges of spreading fake news. “Alaa was sentenced to five years, Baqer four years and …

Arab Spring exiles look back 10 years after Egypt uprising
3 years, 11 months ago

Arab Spring exiles look back 10 years after Egypt uprising

Associated Press  

LONDON — The Egyptians who took to the streets on Jan. 25, 2011, knew what they were doing. Released amid the chaos, he reveled in the atmosphere of political freedom in the Arab world’s most populous country — protesting, working as a journalist and joining a campaign for a moderate presidential candidate. “Sissi wants not only to abrogate the rights …

Rights group: Egyptian court extends activist’s detention
4 years, 1 month ago

Rights group: Egyptian court extends activist’s detention

Associated Press  

CAIRO — An Egyptian court extended the detention of an activist and researcher who previously worked for one of the country’s most prominent rights groups, the group said on Monday. In Italy, where Zaki was studying, the head of the Democratic Party, the government’s junior coalition partner, slammed Monday’s decision by the court in Egypt as “the latest unjust and …

US legislators call on Egypt’s el-Sisi to release prisoners
4 years, 2 months ago

US legislators call on Egypt’s el-Sisi to release prisoners

Al Jazeera  

More than 50 United States politicians are calling on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to release activists, journalists, lawyers and prisoners of conscience. “The unjust detention of Egyptian human rights defenders, peaceful political activists and other prisoners of conscience is in direct opposition to the rights and freedoms enshrined in Egyptian and American law,” said McGovern. “As the second largest …

Egypt police arrest leader of outlawed Muslim Brotherhood
4 years, 4 months ago

Egypt police arrest leader of outlawed Muslim Brotherhood

Associated Press  

CAIRO — Egyptian police arrested a high-level leader in the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood at his hiding place in Cairo, an Interior Ministry statement said Friday. Investigators recently learned that Mahmoud Ezzat, the acting Supreme Guide of the country’s oldest Islamist organization, was hiding in an apartment on the outskirts of Cairo, the statement said. After searching the apartment, the police …

Egypt arrests journalist after Al Jazeera appearance
4 years, 6 months ago

Egypt arrests journalist after Al Jazeera appearance

Al Jazeera  

Egypt ranks as the third-worst jailer of journalists worldwide, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. “Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Mohamed Monir and drop these baseless charges,” it said. “Monir is already in failing health, and to detain him pending trial during a pandemic is exceptionally cruel.” Monir has been remanded in custody for 15 days …

Egypt puts 13 people including Zyad Elelaimy on ‘terrorism’ list
4 years, 8 months ago

Egypt puts 13 people including Zyad Elelaimy on ‘terrorism’ list

Al Jazeera  

Zyad Elelaimy, a key figure of Egypt’s 2011 popular uprising, and Ramy Shaath, a prominent activist added to list. Egypt has added 13 people, including former legislator Zyad Elelaimy, on the country’s “terrorism list” for collaborating with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Elelaimy, a key figure of Egypt’s 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime President Hosni Mubarak, was arrested in June …

UN rights office urges Egypt to free blogger, lawyer, journalist
5 years, 2 months ago

UN rights office urges Egypt to free blogger, lawyer, journalist

Al Jazeera  

The UN urges Egypt to free Esraa Abdelfattah who was arrested by plain-clothes security officers in Cairo last week. The United Nations human rights office called on Egypt on Friday to free a prominent blogger, lawyer and journalist allegedly mistreated in custody who are among several thousand people detained since street protests began a month ago. “Unfortunately, such arrests are …

Family says Egyptian pro-democracy activist beaten in jail
5 years, 3 months ago

Family says Egyptian pro-democracy activist beaten in jail

Associated Press  

CAIRO — The family of a leading Egyptian pro-democracy activist, who was arrested amid a recent clampdown following anti-government protests, said on Thursday that he was beaten, threatened and stripped to his underwear while in custody. Nine Egyptian human rights groups released a statement denouncing the alleged ill-treatment of Abdel-Fattah and calling on the U.N. to examine the situation of …

Amid crackdown, leading Egyptian rights activist is arrested
5 years, 3 months ago

Amid crackdown, leading Egyptian rights activist is arrested

Associated Press  

CAIRO — A leading Egyptian pro-democracy activist was re-arrested Sunday while on probation, his family and a security official said, amid a sweeping security clampdown following small but rare anti-government protests earlier this month. Mohammed el-Baker, a rights lawyer who was attending the questioning of Abdel-Fattah by prosecutors, was also arrested, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, a …

Activist: Egyptian authorities arrest brother to silence me
5 years, 3 months ago

Activist: Egyptian authorities arrest brother to silence me

Associated Press  

CAIRO — The U.S.-based Egyptian activist whose Facebook page helped ignite the 2011 pro-democracy uprising said authorities have arrested his brother in Cairo. Wael Ghonim, a computer engineer, said his recent criticism of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi prompted authorities to retaliate by detaining his brother. He said authorities arrested his brother Hazem during a raid on his parents’ home. The …

Egypt’s president pardons 560, including prominent columnist
5 years, 7 months ago

Egypt’s president pardons 560, including prominent columnist

Associated Press  

CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi pardoned 560 prisoners, including a prominent journalist and several women. The pardons, announced in the official gazette late Thursday, coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan when authorities traditionally release detainees as a goodwill gesture. The journalist, Abdel Halim Qandil, was sentenced to three years in absentia in December 2017 for “insulting …

Egyptian pro-democracy activist free after 5 years in prison
5 years, 9 months ago

Egyptian pro-democracy activist free after 5 years in prison

Associated Press  

CAIRO — A leading Egyptian pro-democracy activist was freed from prison early Friday after serving a five-year sentence for organizing and taking part in protests, his family and lawyer said. To many, his imprisonment three years later — at a time when authorities imposed draconian laws banning public gatherings and unauthorized demonstrations — was another sign of Egypt’s return to …

Hosni Mubarak testifies against Mohamed Morsi in Egyptian court
6 years ago

Hosni Mubarak testifies against Mohamed Morsi in Egyptian court

Al Jazeera  

Two former Egyptian presidents have appeared in the same Cairo courtroom with Hosni Mubarak testifying in the retrial of his successor Mohamed Morsi on mass jailbreak charges. 181223084527884 During his testimony against Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, 90-year-old Mubarak claimed he could not answer most questions, saying he needed permission from the military and current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. …

Hosni Mubarak testifies against Mohamed Morsi in Egyptian court
6 years ago

Hosni Mubarak testifies against Mohamed Morsi in Egyptian court

Al Jazeera  

Two former Egyptian presidents have appeared in the same Cairo courtroom with Hosni Mubarak testifying in the retrial of his successor Mohamed Morsi on mass jailbreak charges. 181223084527884 During his testimony against Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, 90-year-old Mubarak claimed he could not answer most questions, saying he needed permission from the military and current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. …

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