Egypt: activist files complaint against authorities over his detention

Activist and former political prisoner Ramy Shaath has filed a complaint to the African Commission on Human Rights about the abuses inflicted by the Egyptian authorities on him and his French wife, Céline Lebrun-Shaath.

Shaath has asked the Commission to call on Egypt to reinstate his citizenship, remove him from the terrorist list and close the case under which he and other activists and human rights defenders were wrongfully detained.

“Instead of protecting truth and justice, the Egyptian judicial system has become a tool of oppression, subject to the desires and whims of the security apparatus,” said Shaath. “Faced with the denial of my rights in my own country, my wife Céline and I hope that the African Commission will be able to restore my rights as an African citizen and condemn Egypt’s systematic and continuous violations against those expressing dissent peacefully.”

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He pointed out that the violation of his rights, and the rights of tens of thousands of Egyptians, will not continue in darkness as long as there are Egyptian citizens defending human rights and freedom. “World leaders must support our fight to live in dignity in our homeland and our calls for Egypt to return to democracy and freedom.”

Shaath was detained by the Egyptian authorities in 2019 due to his rights activism. As a condition of his release on 6 January this year, he was forced to renounce his Egyptian citizenship.

“He was never formally charged and was detained without due process or a fair trial,” commented Egyptian rights group Justice Initiative.