-ECRF condemns the arrest of the Administrative Manager of EIPR Mohamed Basheer.

– ECRF calls for the release of Mohamed Basheer, and calls on the Public Prosecutor to issue a decision to stop fabrication of charges in case no. 855 for 2020 by the Supreme State Security Prosecution, and stop its targeting of human rights defenders. 

16 November 2020 

ECRF condemns the arrest of colleague Mohamed Basheer, the administrative manager of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and remanding him in custody for fifteen days on account of Case no. 855 for 2020 by the Supreme State Security Prosecution for charges related to terrorism. It calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mohamed Basheer and the dismissal of all charges against him, as well as stopping the targeting of human rights defenders and workers in of civil society organizations. It also demands the Public Prosecution to carry out its duties to ensure the application of the law, and not to be a tool in the hands of the State National Security Sector apparatus to arbitrarily deprive political and human rights activists from their freedom. It demands the Public Prosecutor, Justice Hamada El-Sawy, to issue his decision to close investigations in case no. 855 for 2020 State Security Prosecution as it is used to fabricate accusations charges for defendants without any evidence, and calls for the immediate release of all people held on remand detention on account of this case. It considers their imprisonment as to be “arbitrary  “detention” that violates International law and the Egyptian Constitution, as because it is solely based on their peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of opinion and, expressionexpression, and freedom of association.

ECRF considers that the arresting of Mohamed Basher and accusing him of crimes related to terrorism are grave indicators of the determination of the Egyptian government to continue its policy to suppress human rights defenders and independent Egyptian human rights organizations, penalize them for exposing human rights violations, and inflict more fear in order to silence all voices that criticize government policies. It also believes that this is a new escalation in the targeting of independent Egyptian human rights organizations and abusing their workers for nothing but doing their legitimate job work in supporting promoting and fostering human rights in Egypt.

Our colleague organization, EIPR, revealed the details of the arrest of its administrative manager, Mohamed Basheer, 54 years old. Security forces stormed his house at dawn on the 15th of November, and took him to a State Security facility in which he was illegally interrogated for more than twelve hours without a lawyer. He was asked about the work of EIPR and its latest publications. Then, he was referred to State Security Prosecution which decided to put him in remand detention for fifteen days.  

State Security Prosecution accused Mohamed Basheer with the same bundle of loose and repeated accusations used in cases of political nature, which lack any material evidence to support its credibility, and merely rely on the inquiries reports of the officers of the State Security Sector apparatus of the Ministry of Interior. According to EIPR, Basheer faces charges of “joining a terrorist organization with knowledge of its objectives; using a personal account on the internet to spread false news that undermine public security; committing one of the crimes of funding terrorism; and dissemination of false news and information that undermine public security and harm national interest.”

The case in which Mohamed Basheer was added is a new tool by security authorities to circumvent the law and judicial decisions, especially that it witnessed the re-detention (“recycling”) of a large number of political activists, lawyers, and human rights defenders for whom judicial decisions of release were issued, and others who were charged in this case even before they receive any decisions of release from imprisonment on account of previous cases. Those who were “recycled” in this Case (case no. 855 for 2020 State Security) include academic and politician Hazem Hosny, film producer Moataz Abdel-Wahab, blogger Mohamed Oxygen, and political party activist Zeyad Abo El-Fadl. All of them have received decisions of release orders before they find themselves “recycled.” In addition, human rights lawyer Mohamed ElBaqer, human rights lawyer Mahienour El-Masry, journalist Solafa Magdy, and journalist and political activist Esraa Abdel-Fattah were added to this case even before they receive decisions of release for other cases they are already imprisoned on account of.

 
ECRF reminds the Egyptian government of its international obligations regarding prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of liberty according to article nine of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966. According to the General Comment no. 35 of the UN Committee on Civil and Political Rights, any deprivation of liberty is arbitrary when it lacks the legal basis, or when it takes place as a punishment for the legitimate exercise of the rights guaranteed by

International Law, including the right to freedom of association protected by article 22 of the ICCPR. It also confirms that the work of human rights defenders and civil society organizations is important and legitimate as they are an integral part of international law and the International Bill of Human Rights, and that human rights defenders should not be subject to harassments or violations because of their work.