Egyptian authorities have embarked on a renewed crackdown on peaceful dissent, through arbitrary detentions and politically-motivated criminal investigations, while preparing to defend the country’s human rights record during the Universal Period Review by the UN on 28 January, Amnesty International said today.

In January alone, authorities ramped up their targeting of several critics. A criminal investigation was opened against renowned human rights defender Hossam Bahgat, while prominent opposition politician and publisher Hisham Kassem learned for the first time about a criminal investigation against him, which had been initiated the previous year. Meanwhile, Nada Mogheeth, spouse of detained cartoonist Ashraf Omar, was arrested in connection with an interview she gave with journalist Ahmed Serag, who was himself arrested the day before for the same interview. TikToker Mohamed Allam, known as Rivaldo, was also arrested over viral videos critical of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

“It is a stark irony that the Egyptian government launched this crackdown just ahead of its appearance before the Human Rights Council. The government is sending a crystal clear message that it has no intention of tolerating any form of dissent or improving its abysmal human rights record,” said Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt Researcher at Amnesty International.

“The crackdown also coincides with the lead up to the anniversary of the 25 January Revolution of 2011, a period marked year after year by relentless targeting of actual or suspected dissidents in an attempt by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government to prevent any protests or commemorations.”

Politically-motivated criminal investigations

On 15 January, the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) summoned Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), for questioning on 19 January. Prosecutors opened an investigation into him on charges of “spreading false news” and “aiding and funding a terrorist group.” The latter offence is punishable by a life sentence or the death penalty.

Hossam Bahgat told Amnesty International that prosecutors questioned him for four hours about the establishment of EIPR, its work and funding. They also grilled him about an EIPR statement – which had prompted a threat of legal action from the Ministry of Interior – about deteriorating detention conditions at 10th of Ramadan prison. He was released on EGP 20,000 bail (around USD 398), but the criminal investigation against him remains open.

Prosecutors told Hossam Bahgat that the charges stem from multiple complaints filed by regular citizens, as well as from the National Security Agency (NSA). He told Amnesty International that prosecutors refused to allow him or his lawyers to review these complaints. Prosecutors only read one line to him from the NSA’s investigations, which accused Hossam Bahgat of “receiving instructions from foreign organizations and proactive elements to spread rumours and false information in order to undermining state institutions, disturbing public order, and spreading fear among citizens”.

On 2 January, Hisham Kassem learned through news websites that he has a hearing scheduled for 9 February in a new criminal case on charges of “defamation” and “intentional disturbance.” These charges are related to his same social media post for which he was unjustly convicted, sentenced and imprisoned in 2024. In the post from 29 July 2023, Hisham Kassem referred to alleged corruption by two former government ministers. His lawyer, Nasser Amin, told Amnesty International that Hisham Kassem was never notified about the new case, which was initiated by a complaint filed by one of the former ministers on 16 September 2023. The court held a hearing for the new case on 11 December 2023 without informing Hisham Kassem.

Government critics detained

On 16 January, two men in plain clothes arrested Nada Mogheeth at her home without presenting an arrest warrant. According to a lawyer who attended her interrogations, the SSSP prosecutors opened an investigation against her on charges of “joining a terrorist group” and “spreading false news.” These charges are related to a media interview she gave in December 2024 to Ahmed Serag, a journalist at the independent website Zat Masr, in which she discussed the case of her detained husband, Ashraf Omar, who was arrested due to his media work. Prosecutors released her on EGP 5,000 bail.

The previous day, security forces had arrested Ahmed Serag at his workplace in Cairo. According to his lawyer, SSSP prosecutors opened an investigation against him on charges of “joining a terrorist group,” “using the Zat Masr website to promote the group’s ideas,” “spreading false news,” and “commissioning a crime related to funding terrorism.” Amnesty International learned that the NSA accused Ahmed Serag of “receiving instructions from provocative leaders outside the country to carry out a hostile plan against the state”. He remains detained at 10th of Ramadan Prison.

On 11 January, security forces arrested 24-year-old Mohamed Allam at a relative’s house in Giza governorate. In the weeks prior, Allam had posted several videos on TikTok critical of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. In one of the videos, reviewed by Amnesty International, he stated that “al-Sisi and his government are afraid of an uprising” and listed several issues he claimed were caused by the government, including the “ruin of education and the economy,” as well as the detention of individuals simply for expressing their views.

Security forces brought Mohamed Allam before the SSSP on 20 January, after they forcibly disappeared for more than a week at an NSA facility in Giza. SSSP prosecutors investigated him on charges of “joining a terrorist group,” “inciting the commission of terrorist crimes,” and “spreading false news.” Mohamed Allam told prosecutors that NSA agents subjected him to electric shocks, beatings, and kept him blindfolded, according to his lawyer Nabeh Elganadi. Prosecutors referred him for forensic examination based on his statement. He remains retained at 10th of Ramdan Prison.

Background

Egypt’s human rights record will be examined by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working Group on 28 January 2025. In its submission, Amnesty International highlighted Egypt’s protracted and ongoing human rights and impunity crisis.