Egyptian authorities have arrested prominent activist and poet Ahmed Douma from his home early Tuesday, more than two years after he was released under a presidential pardon, his lawyer confirmed.
Khaled Ali, Douma’s lawyer, said on Facebook that the activist was “arrested at dawn,” though officials have not provided a reason for his detention. Douma’s recent social media posts on X criticized police practices and the treatment of prisoners in Egypt.
Douma was a leading figure in the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak. Last year, he was questioned by authorities five times in connection with his online posts. In September 2025, he was briefly detained and charged by the State Security Prosecution with “spreading false news,” before being released on bail of 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,040).
Previously, Douma spent nearly a decade in prison after being convicted for participating in protests in 2011 and allegedly assaulting police officers. His original 25‑year sentence was later reduced to 15 years, and he was granted a presidential pardon in August 2023.
Since 2022, President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi revived the presidential pardon committee, part of a broader human rights initiative that released hundreds of political detainees, including British‑Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah. Abdel Fattah was freed in September 2025 after nearly ten years in prison, following advocacy by his family, rights organizations, and the UK government.
However, rights groups warn that a widening crackdown since 2022 has resulted in more arrests than releases, tightening restrictions on dissent and civic space in the country.
