Egypt: Professor thought to be arrested for critical cost-of-living Facebook post

A professor of dentistry at Egypt University for Science and Technology has been arrested and forcibly disappeared from his home.

An anonymous source told Madr Masr that three security officers went to Ahmed El-Tabbakh’s home in Sheikh Zayed City in Greater Cairo on 22 February, searched his house and confiscated his personal belongings.

The family have tried to determine Ahmed’s whereabouts, but his place of detention has not yet been disclosed. Ahmed suffers from diabetes and needs insulin.

The anonymous source added that Ahmed is not affiliated to any political party but believes that his arrest is in connection to a Facebook post in which he criticised the rising cost of living.

Food, medicine and housing have all risen as Egypt grapples with surging inflation, the devaluation of the pound and price hikes.

Austerity measures in place since 2016 such as the floating of the Egyptian pound and the slashing of fuel, water and electricity subsidies have hit ordinary Egyptians hard and many are struggling to feed their families.

The coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine and widespread corruption have also contributed towards a mounting economic crisis.

READ: Egypt union: Police tortured doctor to death in custody

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several doctors and medical staff were arrested after speaking out over unsafe working conditions, shortages of PPE and the testing of healthcare workers.

In one case security agents forcibly entered the home of an ophthalmologist after he wrote a Facebook post criticising the government for sending aid to Italy and China whilst Egypt was in such short supply.

One pharmacist was arrested at work for posting about the shortage of personal protective items made available.

The news comes as another family seeks justice for a doctor who was thought to have been tortured to death by officers at Gamasa police station in the Dakahlia Governorate.

Rajai Wafai, who also had diabetes, died of suspicious circumstances on 6 March. His wife said whilst detained Rajai was prevented from using the toilet and that when she received his body, his head had been shaved.

In February a group of human rights organisations called on the Egyptian government to stop forcible disappearances and carry out independent investigations into perpetrators.

The Stop Enforced Disappearance Campaign said that between 2013 and January 2023, 3,600 people were forcibly disappeared which indicated a “systematic crisis”.

Many detainees are tortured, held incommunicado and accused of spurious charges, including joining banned groups.

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