Egyptian authorities have extended the pretrial detention of at least 125 individuals and arrested two journalists just days before a scheduled national dialogue on pretrial detention policies, according to rights lawyers and groups.
The majority of those detained were arrested in a crackdown following calls for protests on July 12 regarding economic conditions under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Despite no protests occurring, many were apprehended at their homes on charges including spreading false information, promoting terrorism via social media, and affiliation with a terrorist organization, stated rights lawyer Nabih El-Genady.
On Sunday and Monday, the public prosecution extended their detention for an additional 15 days. The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms confirmed the detention of at least 125 people.
In addition, authorities arrested two journalists in the past week. One, a cartoonist for the independent news outlet Al-Manassa, has been missing since plain-clothed officers raided his home on Monday. The other, a reporter for the Arabic Post news website, was also detained.
Rights organizations have long criticized the extensive use of pretrial detention, arguing it should be a last resort rather than a common practice. The Egyptian State Information Service stated that recommendations from Tuesday’s national dialogue, which began in April 2022, would be forwarded to President Sisi.
The State Information Service attributed the protest calls to members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, labeling them as attempts to create discord within the nation.
President Sisi, who came to power after the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi in 2013, has overseen a broad crackdown on dissent over the past decade. The judiciary is said to operate independently, with officials claiming ongoing steps to address human rights issues, though critics view these measures as largely superficial.
Ahmed al-Sharkawy, a parliamentary member on the dialogue board, reported that the dialogue had led to the release of around 1,500 detainees, including 79 on Monday. He acknowledged ongoing issues but noted positive results.
In contrast, the Civil Democratic Movement (CDM), a liberal opposition group, suspended its participation in the dialogue in June, citing insufficient progress and skepticism about genuine reforms, particularly regarding freedom of expression. CDM co-founder Mustapha Kamel al-Sayyid emphasized that true intent to release all pretrial detainees is necessary for meaningful dialogue.
