Young inventor decides not to return to Egypt for fear of rearrest

Abdullah Assem, known in Egypt as “the young inventor” said in press statements Sunday that his decision not to return to Egypt is final.

Abdullah Assem, 17, is a high school student from the Upper Egypt Asyut governorate. He has been called the “young inventor” since he won a scientific inventions competition at Misr University for Science and Technology after he invented medical eyeglasses designed to facilitate communication for quadriplegia (full paralysis) patients.

Assem was arrested in Tahrir Square prior to his visit to California to attend “Intel ISEF 2014” fair to present his invention, and was accused of illegally protesting.

Assem was released after a media campaign that protested against his unjust detention.

He travelled to the US with an Egyptian ministry of education delegation. His passport has been seized by the delegation leaders upon arrival and he was only able to receive it after insisting that he would not return to Egypt.

According to the minister of education Mohamed Abul Nasr, Assem called police to help him retrieve his passport from the delegation.

“I asked them for guarantees that I would not be rearrested in Egypt. However, they did not respond. Therefore my decision not to return is final, to ensure my safety,” Assem told Aljazeera on Sunday.