Forced disappearance is considered one of the most severe violations against victims and their families, depriving individuals of their rights to freedom, dignity, and legal protection. Families endure continuous suffering due to the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their loved ones.
In Egypt, this phenomenon has become a concerning pattern in dealing with dissenters and activists over the years, raising both domestic and international human rights concerns.
In this context, the Egyptian Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to detain 26 young men for 15 days pending investigation after their appearance at the prosecution’s headquarters following their various periods of forced disappearance.
The charges against them included “spreading false news,” “joining a terrorist group,” “misusing social media,” and “promoting violence,” accusations commonly used by the Egyptian regime against its critics to justify their arrest and persecution.
According to a member of the detainees’ defense team, some of the detainees were subjected to systematic torture within National Security premises, including electric shocks and death threats. The lawyers demanded their examination by forensic experts and an investigation into these violations.
Among the detainees is the young man Mohamed Yousry Awad Ramada, who disappeared several months ago, and his sister Fatima, who remains under arrest, subjected to oppressive measures that also included the seizure of her assets by a decision issued in 2020.
The list of detainees includes:
- Ahmed Ali El-Naggar
- Ahmed Mohammed Johar
- Ahmed Yahya Jabril
- Osama Mohamed Abdel Latif
- Bassel Ahmed Al-Naanaa
- Hasan Alwani Allam
- Khaled Adel Mohammed
- El-Dessouki Abdel Mawgood Hasan
- Sajid Salah Abdel Aleem
- Salama Abdel Qader Mohammed
- El-Sayed Salah Abdel Radi
- Shaker Mohammed El-Rifaie
- Sabri Abdel Monem Ali
- Tarek Hussein Abdel Haleem
- Tarek Abdel Moneim Yacout
- Abdullah Ibrahim Abdel Aziz
- Abdullah Abu Zeid Mahmoud
- Essam El-Shahat Ali
- Awni Atef Atta
- Mohammed Fotouh Abdel Aleem
- Mohammed Hindi Gallab
- Mohammed Yousry Awad Ramada
- Mahmoud Akmal Mannaa’
- Mostafa Mahmoud Younis
- Nabil Mohammed Zidan
- Hany Mahmoud Kushk
Thousands of Egyptian citizens have been subjected to forced disappearances since 2013, enduring torture and coerced confessions in unofficial detention facilities before appearing before prosecutors or courts.
Despite repeated human rights demands, Egyptian authorities continue to deny responsibility for these violations, while the number of complaints filed by families increases without effective response.
Forced disappearance is an international crime that does not expire with time and represents a violation of international agreements that bind parties, such as Egypt, to ensure individuals’ protection from this crime.
The situation in Egypt necessitates immediate action to end these violations, hold those responsible accountable, provide avenues for justice and compensation for the victims. Additionally, transparency and respect for the rule of law should be enhanced as part of a comprehensive reform of the justice system and human rights.
