Egyptian human rights lawyer and labour rights defender Haitham Mohamadein appealed to provide him the appropriate health care after his serious health deterioration in Egyptian custody.
Muhammadin’s attorney, Taher Abu al-Nasr, submitted a formal request to the Egyptian Attorney General to transfer his client to hospital as he suffers chest, heart and neurology problems.
The lawyer pointed out that Mohamadein suffers many health problems including numbness throughout the body, tingling in the limbs, vision and breathing problems and high blood pressure.
Reportedly, on 15 May 2018 Haitham Mohamadein was arrested in El Saf city in Giza Governorate. After his arrest, he was detained in an unknown location. On 19 May 2018 the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) in Cairo ordered a detention of 15 days pending an investigation on charges of “aiding a terrorist organization” and “calling for illegal protests”.
According to our information, Haitham Mohamadein did not take part in protests and is merely active in offering pro-bono legal advice to workers. A court ordered his release in October 2018.
Mohamadein was again arrested on 12 May 2019 at the police station while serving probationary measures related to his release in October 2018.
He was missing for a few days before he finally surfaced on 16 May 2019. He then appeared before the SSSP as a defendant in case No. 741/2019. The SSSP accused him of “collaborating with a terrorist organization”.
After a court decision on 8 March 2021 to release Mohamadein on probation, the SSSP on 10 March 2021 re-accused him of the same charges, but in a new case, No. 1956/2019.
The court’s release order was not enforced and to date Mohamadein remains in pre-trial detention. It has been reported that Mohamadein has not been able to receive any in-person prison visits and has had his pretrial detention renewed without having been brought before a court and without his lawyers having been granted the right to present a defense.
Mohamadein’s case seems to be an example of the concerning practice of “rotation”. Rotation refers to the practice of bringing an entirely new cases against a defendant who was ordered to be released, reached their maximum detention limit for a case or has served their sentence.
