Maghreb Edition

Egypt: Sisi regime extends pre-trial detentionsF

Posted On 8 May 2020

Number of times this article was read : 425

Beirut, May 7, 2020 – Amnesty International lambasted Egypt on Thursday for extending the pre-trial detention of over 1,600 detainees this week, calling for their unconditional release. The UK-based rights group said in a statement that the defendants were not present in court when the extensions were issued earlier this week by the Cairo Criminal Court, nor were their lawyers permitted to present a defence. “Egyptian authorities must immediately rescind the recent string of decisions to extend pre-trial detention,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa.

According to Egyptian law, defendants can be held in pre-trial detention for up to two years, but authorities regularly prolong detentions indefinitely.  Amnesty said the extensions came after the Cairo Appeals Court issued a decision on April 28 saying defendants could be released or have their detentions extended without being present in court.

Shady Habash, who died in prison last week after being jailed in 2018 for directing a music video critical of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, had exceeded the maximum pre-trial detention period by two months. “At a time where there are genuine concerns about the health and safety of prisoners amid the spread of COVID-19… Egyptian authorities should be releasing those arbitrarily detained,” Luther added. Authorities suspended family visits at prisons in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic and only recently resumed court hearings.

Fearing the spread of the virus in overcrowded prisons, human rights defenders have consistently called for the release of political prisoners and detainees awaiting trial since the start of the pandemic. Egypt has so far recorded over 7,000 virus infections and 450 fatalities. An estimated 60,000 detainees in Egypt are political prisoners, according to rights groups. These include secular activists, journalists, lawyers, academics and Islamists arrested in an ongoing crackdown against dissent since the military’s 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

AFP

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply$

The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is expanding across the Middle East, with growing consequences for global energy markets and regional security. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about supply stability. As missile exchanges intensify and fighting spreads to Lebanon, world leaders are scrambling to assess the economic fallout and prevent further escalation.

West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure$

Jihadist attacks in northern Benin have intensified in recent weeks, with militants linked to JNIM claiming a deadly assault on a military position near the Niger border and carrying out additional raids on security posts along the country’s volatile frontiers with Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The violence underscores how northern Benin has become part of a wider cross-border insurgency spilling south from the central Sahel, even as authorities bolster Operation Mirador and try to prevent armed groups from entrenching themselves on Beninese soil.

Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa$

Small desert locust swarms recently detected along the western Sahara corridor have prompted stepped-up monitoring across parts of North and West Africa, where shifting rainfall can quickly turn quiet desert areas into launchpads for wider infestations.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.