In a new development reflecting Egypt’s ongoing security repression, the Supreme State Security Prosecution has ordered the detention of 13 Egyptians, including a young woman and three brothers, for 15 days pending investigation on politically motivated charges, following their sudden appearance before prosecutors on Friday, after months of enforced disappearance.
The detainees include brothers Al-Hussein, Abdullah, and Mohamed Majid Salem, as well as Suleiman Atiya Shorqi, Ayman Ahmed El-Sayed, Khaled Ramadan Abdel Ghaffar, Shawky Saad Al-Najjar, Abdel Rahman Mohamed Ibrahim, Abdel Moneim Ibrahim Al-Baz, Mohamed Ahmed Abu Shalabaya, Mohamed Hamed Qutb, Mosad Abdel Rabbo Bakr, and the only female detainee, Maryam Ayman El-Desouki.
The State Security Prosecution has charged the detainees with commonly used allegations aimed at justifying political repression, including “spreading and broadcasting false news,” “joining and supporting a terrorist organisation,” “misusing social media,” “using the internet to commit crimes,” and “funding and promoting violence.” These charges, often presented without clear evidence, align with the Egyptian authorities’ legal framework designed to silence opposition voices.
The families of the detainees had previously filed complaints with the Public Prosecutor regarding their disappearances, yet security agencies provided no information on their whereabouts or the charges against them until their sudden appearance before the prosecution.
Enforced disappearance has become a recurring practice in Egypt, with security forces systematically detaining individuals in undisclosed locations, denying them basic rights, including access to legal representation and family contact, before later presenting them with pre-prepared charges. This practice constitutes a grave violation of international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against Torture.
The case of these 13 detainees is yet another example of the systematic persecution of political detainees in Egypt, where arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance are used as tools to intimidate opponents and suppress dissenting voices.
