Egyptian activist Moaaz Al-Sharqawi, known for his advocacy of human rights, has finally emerged after being forcibly disappeared for 24 days. He was seen at the Supreme State Security Prosecution in Cairo’s Fifth Settlement area, facing new charges.
Al-Sharqawi was re-arrested by Egyptian security forces on May 11th from his home, and since then, he has been held in secret, with no information provided about the reasons behind his arrest or his whereabouts. Throughout this period, his family had pleaded for answers regarding his fate.
The State Security Prosecution had been uncooperative, denying Al-Sharqawi’s presence and obstructing the attendance of his lawyers during the interrogation. Despite his actual presence at the State Security Prosecution premises, he was only formally presented to the prosecutor on Saturday evening, causing a significant delay.
Al-Sharqawi now faces charges of “joining and financing a terrorist group” in case number 540 of 2023, handled by the Supreme State Security Prosecution. These charges are widely believed to be baseless and fabricated, aimed at targeting critics and opponents of the government, subjecting them to unjust trials and harassment.
Previously, Al-Sharqawi was arrested on September 19th, 2018, while working in the tourism sector. He was forcibly hidden for 25 days in an unofficial detention centre under National Security, where he endured physical and psychological torture. On October 15th, 2018, he reappeared at the Supreme State Security Prosecution, facing interrogation in connection with case number 440 of 2018. He was later transferred to Tora Prison in Cairo and placed in Cell 2-2, Ward 4, the same cell where another detainee, Shady Habash, tragically lost his life.
After nearly two years of arbitrary detention, Al-Sharqawi was eventually released and returned home.
However, on May 29th, 2022, the Supreme State Security Court issued an emergency ruling, sentencing Moaaz to 10 years in absentia and 5 years of probation in relation to case number 440 of 2018.
Alarmingly, on May 11th, 2023, Egyptian security forces (National Security) renewed Al-Sharqawi’s arrest again, leading to his forcible disappearance. His continued suffering highlights the plight faced by numerous political detainees in Egypt.
The arrest and mistreatment of Moaaz Al-Sharqawi raise serious concerns about the violation of basic human rights, including personal freedom, security, access to legal representation, and the right to a fair trial.
