The pre-trial detention of Ms. Amal Fathy renewed again for 15 days

New information

EGY 002 / 0518 / OBS 059.6

Arbitrary detention /

Judicial harassment

Egypt

August 1, 2018

The Observatory for the Protection of Human RightsDefenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) andFIDH, has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in thefollowing situation in Egypt.

New information:

TheObservatory has been informed by reliable sources about the continuation of thearbitrary detention of Ms. Amal Fathy, a woman human rightsdefender known for being vocal against human rights violations, in particularthe arbitrary detention of activists in Egypt. She is also a former member ofthe now banned “April 6 Youth Movement”. Ms. Amal Fathy is married toMr. Mohamed Lotfy, Executive Director of the EgyptianCommission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF).

Accordingto the information received, on July 30, 2018, Ms. Amal Fathy received again afurther 15-day detention by State security prosecution. The next hearing toreview her pre-trial detention is due on August 13, 2018.

Ms.Fathy has been in pre-trial detention since May 11, 2018. She is facing twosets of accusations: under Case No. 7991 of 2018, she is accused of“broadcasting a video harming national security”, “posting a video inciting tooverthrow the regime and spreading false rumours”, and “misusing social media”and under Case No. 621 of 2018 she is facing charges of “joining a terroristgroup”, “publishing false news to disrupt public security and harm nationalinterests” and “using the internet to call for acts of terrorism”. (seebackground information).

TheObservatory recalls that, on June 21, 2018, the Criminal Court of South Cairoapproved the release on bail of Ms. Amal Fathy within the framework of Case No.7991 of 2018 but that she remains nonetheless in detention pendinginvestigation within the framework of Case No. 621 of 2018.

TheObservatory is extremely concerned by the ongoing arbitrary detention of Ms.Fathy and by the impact that this situation is having on her health conditions.Therefore, the Observatory urges the Egyptian authorities to immediately andunconditionally release Ms. Fathy and, in the meanwhile, to ensure that she hasaccess to adequate health care.

Background information:

OnMay 9, 2018, Ms. Amal Fathy posted a 12-minute video on Facebookcriticising the Egyptian Government for its failure to protect womenagainst sexual harassment, as well as over a general deterioration of livingconditions in the country.

Thenext day, pro-government and State-owned media outlets released articles citingthe video, identifying Ms. Amal Fathy as an “April 6 Youth movement” activist,the wife of Mr. Mohamed Lotfy and accusing her of insulting Egypt and Egyptianinstitutions. This was followed by a wave of harassment and threats on socialmedia against Ms. Amal Fathy.

OnMay 11, 2018, at around 2.30 am, Egyptian security forces raided the house ofMs. Amal Fathy and Mr. Mohamed Lotfy in Cairo and started searching it. Theirmobile phones were seized and they were denied the right to communicate with alawyer or their relatives. The two activists were brought to Maadi policestation, in southern Cairo, along with their three-year-old son.

Aroundthree hours later, Mr. Lotfy and his son were released. The Maadi Prosecutorsubsequently placed Ms. Amal Fathy under preventive detention for 15 days within the framework of Criminal case No. 7991 of2018.

OnMay 12, 2018, Ms. Amal Fathy was transferred to Qanater women’sprison.

OnMay 13, 2018, Ms. Amal Fathy was questioned by the High State Security Prosecution about the “April6 Youth Movement”, ECRF and the activities of her husband. She was thenplaced under preventive detention for an additional 15 days in the framework of another case, Criminal case No. 621of 2018.

On May 24, the Maadi Prosecutor extended Ms. Amal Fathy’s preventivedetention for 15 additional days within the framework of Case No. 7991 of 2018,without providing reason. Ms. Fathy appealed the decision. OnMay 30, 2018, Ms. Fathy’s appeal was rejected.

OnJune 7, 2018, the Maadi Prosecutor extended for the third time Ms. Amal Fathy’spreventive detention for a further 2-week period, withoutproviding any reason.

OnJune 21, 2018, the Criminal Court of South Cairo approved the release on bailof Ms. Amal Fathy within the framework of Case No. 7991 of 2018 upon payment ofa 10’000 EGP guarantee (approximately 480 EUR).

OnJuly 2, 2018, the National Security Prosecution Office extended Ms. Amal Fathypre-trial detention for the fifth time for a further 15-day period.

Ms.Amal Fathy’s health conditions are rapidly deteriorating as she suffers fromacute stress reaction caused by her arbitrary detention. While she appeared beforethe Prosecution Office on July 2, 2018, she was not able to walk on her own andshe was diagnosed with paralysis in her left leg.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of Egyptasking them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physicaland psychological integrity of Ms. Amal Fathy, Mr.Mohamed Lotfy, their relatives and all human rights defenders in Egypt;

ii. Immediately and unconditionallyrelease Ms. Amal Fathy as her detention is arbitrary as it ismerely aimed at punishing her for her human rights activities as well as thoseof her husband;

iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment,including at the judicial level, against Ms. Amal Fathy as well as against Mr. Mohamed Lotfy and all human rights defenders in Egypt, and ensurethat they are able to carry out their activities without hindrance;

iv. Conform with the provisions of the UNDeclaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of theUnited Nations on December 9, 1998, especially Articles 1, 6(c) and 12.2; and

v. More generally, ensure in allcircumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms inaccordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and withinternational and regional human rights instruments ratified by Egypt.

Addresses:

· President of the Arab Republic ofEgypt, H.E. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Fax: +202 2391 1441. Email: p.spokesman@op.gov.eg, Twitter: @AlsisiOfficial

· Prime Minister, Mr. Mustafa Kemal MadboulyMohamed. Email: pm@cabinet.gov.eg

· Minister of the Interior,Mr. Mahmoud Tawfik, Email: center@iscmi.gov.eg

· Minister of Justice, Mohamed HossamAbdel-Rahim, Fax: +202 2795 8103 


· Minister of Social Solidarity, GhadaWaly, Fax: Tel: +202 333 75420 / +202 3337 5390

· Public Prosecutor, Counsellor NabeelSadek, Fax: +202 2577 4716

Head of the Egyptian parliament’s Human RightsCommittee, Mr. Alaa Abed, Email: humanrightscomplaints@parliament.gov.eg

· Mr. Mohamed Fayeq, President of theNational Council For Human Rights, Fax: + 202 25747497 / 25747670. Email: nchr@nchr.org.eg

· H.E. Mr. Alaa Youssef,Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations in Geneva,Switzerland, Email: mission.egypt@bluewin.ch

· Embassy of Egypt in Brussels, Belgium,Fax: +32 2 675.58.88; Email: embassy.egypt@skynet.be

Please also write to the diplomatic missions orembassies of Egypt in your respective country.

***

Geneva-Paris, August 1, 2018

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting thecode of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human RightsDefenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT) and FIDH. The objective of this programme is tointervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rightsdefenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanismimplemented by international civil society.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

· E-mail:Appeals@fidh-omct.org

· Teland fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29 Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 5525 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80