Today, more than a year has passed since the start of the unprecedented security attack on the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which saw the arrest, within one week, of its executive director, Gasser Abdel Razek, its managing director, Mo
Tags: FreeEIPRStaff
*Update on 29 November 2021
Hossam Bahgat, director of EIPR, sentenced to a fine of 10,000 pounds for “insulting the elections authority”
Today, a full year has passed since the start of the unprecedented security attack on the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which saw the arrest, within one week, of its executive director, Gasser Abdel Razek, its managing director, Mohamed
Today, the Third Circuit for Misdemeanors of the Cairo Economic Court heard defense arguments in the case against Hossam Bahgat, Executive Director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, on charges of “insulting the Elections Authority,”
Trial of Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) is set to resume tomorrow, Tuesday, 2 November, before the Cairo Economic Court.
EIPR believes that this world-wide support presented a good example of what could be achieved despite the severely shrunken space for civil society at large and the gagging of all professional and pro-democracy voices in Egypt’s mainstream media.
These developments all point to a deliberate attempt by authorities to escalate the crackdown on EIPR by targeting the organization itself in violation of the law, both substantively and procedurally. During the session itself, EIPR’s lawyers were not even allowed to view the content of the order nor were they able to confirm the names included in the asset freeze. They were also not allowed to meet with the defendants in private and consult with them, as has been the case since they were detained.
Abdel-Razek said during the interrogation he received inhumane and degrading treatment in his cell that puts his health and safety in danger. He further elaborated that he was never allowed out of the cell, had only a metal bed to sleep on with neither mattress nor covers, save for a light blanket, was deprived of all his possessions and money, was given only two light pieces of summer garments, and was denied the right to use his own money to purchase food and essentials from the prison’s cantine. His head was shaved completely.
