Egypt: Immediately release Dr. Abdelkhalek Farouk, unjustly sentenced for his writing
Following a trial failing to meet minimal due process standards, the verdict represents a threat from the authorities that any free expression of opinion will be repressed, including with imprisonment.
Oct 15, 2025
The undersigned human rights organizations condemn the unjust sentence issued on 2 October 2025 by the El-Shorouk Misdemeanor Court in New Cairo against Dr. Abdelkhalek Farouk, an intellectual and economist. Farouk was sentenced to five years in prison by the court after a trial marred by procedural and legal violations, against the backdrop of fabricated charges. Dr. Farouk, who is adamant in his belief that society has a right to knowledge and accountability, was alleged by the Egyptian authorities to have published ‘false news’ after expressing his views and analyses on economic policies and conditions in Egypt.
Dr. Abdelkhalek Farouk was arrested at his home on 20 October 2024, after which he was investigated by Supreme State Security Prosecution in Case No. 4937 of 2024, Supreme State Security. He was charged by the prosecution with joining and financing a terrorist group and broadcasting false news, charges which stem from his publication of forty articles critical of the Egyptian president and the state’s economic policies.
At his detention renewal hearings, Dr. Farouk pointed to the imminent danger posed to his life by inhumane detention conditions, under which he said was denied access to medicine and exposure to sunlight, among other violations to his fundamental rights. He added that detainees were kept in closed cells for approximately 23 hours a day, with a devastating impact on their physical and psychological health. These detention conditions constitute a flagrant violation of fundamental rights, including the right to life and the right to health, guaranteed under articles 6 and 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. It further contravenes the United Nations Basic Principles on the Treatment of Prisoners, particularly the right to full healthcare during detention.
On 25 September 2025, Dr. Farouk was referred to El-Shorouk Misdemeanor Court and the authorities failed to notify his defense team about the referral, which constitutes a violation of the guaranteed right to defense, and specifically violates Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These two articles guarantee every defendant the right to a fair trial, representation by a lawyer of their choice, and to be informed of the charges against them; the defense must further be enabled to effectively participate in all stages of the trial. His case, no. 4937 of 2024, Supreme State Security, registered as No. 4527 of 2025, was postponed to 2 October 2025, the session that ended with his sentencing.
Dr. Abdelkhalek Farouk was investigated solely on spurious charges of spreading false news. This demonstrates that the prosecution did not find evidence to support the accusation of joining and financing a terrorist group, which led to the dismissal of these charges. On 2 October 2025, during the second trial session, the defense team was fully present. His lawyers requested an adjournment to review the case documents (as they had previously been prevented from doing so) and they submitted a petition for Farouk’s release. In an unexpected move, however, the court allowed the prosecution to plead. The defense team requested a certified copy of the prosecution’s pleadings.
The session ended without any decision being announced. The judge and the secretary covertly left the courtroom, leaving the defense team to gather information about the case. On 4 October 2025, the court issued a shocking ruling, sentencing the economist and intellectual Abdelkhalek Farouk to five years in prison. The decision was not announced in a public session, in clear violation of fair trial guarantees stipulated in local and international law. Later, El-Shorouk Misdemeanor Appeals Court in New Cairo set an appeal hearing for 16 October 2025.
Dr. Abdelkhalek Farouk had been previously targeted for his views, which is indicative of the Egyptian authorities’ systematic policy of silencing all critical voices on economic policies. In October 2018, Farouk was arrested following the publication of his book, Is Egypt Really a Poor Country?, which addressed the causes of the economic crisis and their relation to government policies. Authorities confiscated the book from the press and charged him with similar offenses before releasing him.
The targeting, prosecution, and imprisonment of intellectual and economist Dr. Abdelkhalek Farouk has occurred in retaliation for his economic and political views, constituting a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights. This further reflects the authorities’ campaign to suppress freedom of opinion and expression, which are fundamental rights enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The undersigned human rights organizations demand the immediate and unconditional release of intellectual and economist Dr. Abdelkhalek Farouk, the provision of healthcare until his release, and respect for his fundamental rights and his right to freedom of expression. The organizations further condemn all forms of targeting of free opinion and expression by the authorities; the peaceful exercise of fundamental rights should never be met with repression and imprisonment on the basis of an unjust verdict. Prompt action beginning with Dr. Farouk’s release must be taken to redress the Egyptian authorities’ brazen disregard of the fundamental tenets of justice and due process.
Signatories:
- EgyptWide for Human Rights
- Egyptian Front for Human Rights
- Committee for Justice
- Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
- El Nadeem Center
- Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms
- Egyptian Human Rights Forum
- Refugees Platform in Egypt
- Law and Democracy Support Foundation | LDSF
- Sinai Foundation for Human Rights
