Egypt: opposition figure’s detention renewed for fourth time

The Egyptian Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed on Sunday the detention of prominent opposition figure and politician Yehia Hussein Abdel Hady for another 15 days. This is the fourth time that his detention has been renewed pending investigations. Abdel Hady is charged with “joining a terrorist group, misusing social media, spreading rumours and false news, financing terrorism and inciting the commission of a terrorist crime.”

He was arrested in the centre of Cairo by people in civilian clothes, most likely officers of the National Security Agency, because of an article he published under the heading, “How Long Will the Army Be Silent?” Yet again, no new evidence was provided to justify the renewal of his detention.

According to human rights lawyer Khaled Ali writing on Facebook on 31 July1, “Dr Abdel Jalil Mustafa told me that he was driving with Yehia Hussein Abdel Hady on Salah Salem Street, on their way to attend a symposium for the Hope Movement Party. While the car was stationery due to the traffic, he was surprised by a number of people wearing civilian clothes, who did not reveal their identities, forcibly removing him and taking him to an unknown location.”

A report is being submitted by Dr Mustafa to the Public Prosecutor describing what he witnessed, said the lawyer. “We hope to investigate the incident, uncover its circumstances, and gain access to the CCTV cameras on Salah Salem Street.”

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