The Cairo Criminal Court decided to renew the detention of political activist Aya Kamal El-Din, who is detained in Al-Qanater Women’s Prison, for further 45 days.
This decision was based on charges of “joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and misusing social media,” which are fabricated charges often levelled by the Egyptian regime against its critics.
The court continued to ignore the health appeal Aya presented to it, where she stated that life was in great danger due to the deterioration of her health condition, as her asthma had reached an advanced stage, yet she was prohibited from receiving treatment inside the prison hospital, receiving visits or food.
She also complained that she has never been exposed to the sunlight, as she is held in a “solitary confinement”, and would not be saved by anyone if she went through a health crisis.
Aya holds the Egyptian authorities and the Prison Service responsible for her life, as her health condition is deteriorating, and she fainted many times and almost died, as a result of complications from asthma.
Aya had been arrested in two cases before, and received a release order due to her poor health condition. She fainted during the renewal of her detention, and the deciding judge ordered her release at the time due to her medical condition.
Aya Kamal El-Din’s defence lawyer also demanded her releases with any guarantees the court deems appropriate, as the investigating judge did in the previous case, where she had previously been released and her place of residence was known, and she did not flee, and therefore he demanded that his client be released again on health grounds.
Earlier, Aya complained that she had been sexually harassed by the Qanater Prison administration, and her lawyer subsequently submitted an official report to Public Prosecutor Hamada Al-Sawy for investigation, however no investigation was carried out until now, and the prison administration continued to commit violations every day.
The Egyptian authorities arrested activist Aya Kamal El-Din, a graduate of the Institute of Islamic Studies, on July 3, 2022, on charges of spreading false news, which is her third arrest since 2013.
Aya was among 14 girls who were sentenced by the Misdemeanour Court in Alexandria to 11 years in prison, for participating in a demonstration in support of the late President Mohamed Morsi, following a military coup against him 9 years ago. The girls faced charges of gathering, blocking the road, and disturbing security, before the students headed to the schools early in the morning.
Aya was re-arrested in 2020, after posting a comment on Facebook on the death of an army commander with the Coronavirus, which was followed by actress Badriya Tolba’s incitement against her in a video in which she accused her of “criticising President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi,” describing her as an offical of Resala Charity Association in Alexandria.
Aya’s detention on the basis of unspecified and unproven charges constitutes a violation of general principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights to personal freedom, the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression.
