The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) calls on the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) to release journalist and playwright Ahmed Serag, whose detention renewal is set to be considered for the first time on January 26th. EIPR calls on the SSSP to comply with Article 134 of the Criminal Procedures Law, which sets clear and specific cases for pretrial detention as a precautionary measure, none of which applies to Serag.

At 11am on January 15th, Serag, 49, was arrested from King Fahd School in Nasr City, where he works as an Arabic teacher. On the same day, he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which interrogated him in connection with Case No. 7 of 2025, and charged him with  spreading false news, joining and financing a terrorist group, and using the Zat Masr website to promote the ideas of this group.

Serag’s arrest coincided with the summoning of translator and academic Dr. Nada Moghith, the wife of translator and cartoonist Ashraf Omar, who has been detained since July 2024 in connection with Case No. 1968 of 2024. Omar also faced the usual charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and misusing social media.

Moghith was taken from her home the same day to the State Security Prosecution for interrogation in connection with the same case in which Serag was involved. The prosecution interrogated both separately over a video interview Serag conducted with Moghith as the wife of a detainee who’s prosecuted for exercising his constitutional right to freedom of expression. During the interview, Serag asked Moghith about the circumstances of her husband's arrest, his detention conditions, and visiting him in the 10th of Ramadan Prison 6.

According to Serag’s lawyer, the Interior Ministry's National Security Sector investigations submitted to the prosecution alleged that Serag "received instructions from riot leaders abroad to carry out a hostile plot against the country" and that he "agreed with the family of one of the defendants, Nada Moghith, to broadcast a video promoting false rumors against the state and publish them through the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated website Zat Masr". The State Security Prosecution accused Moghith of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news, then released her on bail of 5,000 pounds. Meanwhile, it remanded Serag in custody for 15 days. Serag has been held at the 10th of Ramadan prison 6, in which others are held in connection with cases related to freedom of opinion and expression, including cartoonist Ashraf Omar himself.

EIPR stresses that pretrial detention is a precautionary measure, which Article 134 of the Criminal Procedures Law allows for if the "crime" is in flagrante delicto, which does not apply to Serag’s case, or in the case of fear that the accused will escape, which is not possible, as Serag’s places of residence and work are known. Moreover, Serag is a father of four, including three children who need his care. Finally, the law allows for pretrial detention when there is a fear of harming the interest of the investigation or to prevent serious breaches of security and public order, which does not apply to Serag’s case. 

Serag is concerned with artistic and literary criticism. He authored more than 20 books published by the General Egyptian Book Organization, and wrote a number of articles in newspapers such as Al-Ahram, Al-Masry Al-Youm, and Akhbar Al-Adab. He previously worked as an advisor to the Saudi public prosecutor in editing online content.

EIPR condemns the security crackdown on many intellectuals, artists and other citizens in Egypt simply for exercising their constitutional right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed under Articles 65 and 71 of the constitution. It calls for releasing Serag immediately, dropping all charges against him and Moghith, and shelving Case No. 7 of 2025.