Egypt rights group condemn new wave of arrest, call for emptying of prisons

The Families of Egyptian Detainees Association (FEDA) has strongly condemned the latest wave of raids and arrests carried out by the security forces across various Egyptian governorates. A press statement by the group said the raids which were conducted in recent days have targeted hundreds of men, women, and young people without any clear or understandable reasons.

FEDA said the arrests included members of Generation Z, relatives of opposition figures, influencers, as well as a number of writers and intellectuals. The campaign also targeted relatives of currently detained individuals including those serving judicial sentences and those held under pretrial detention orders.

FEDA further confirmed that it had information regarding the inhumane treatment of families during home raids. “In some cases, security forces reportedly arrested individuals they found at the premises when they failed to locate the specific person or persons they were seeking;” the statement read.

Additionally, the rights group said the information it received confirmed the interrogation of siblings and relatives of Egyptian opposition figures living abroad. In many cases the questions were about where these relatives resided and what they were doing for a living. 

FEDA called on the security authorities to release those recently detained and to put an end to the policy of taking families hostage.

The statement reiterated FEDA’s longstanding demands for the emptying of Egypt’s prisons and the release of all political prisoners, as a step toward a comprehensive national reconciliation and the closure of “the painful chapter of the past.” It called for the opening of a new chapter in which all citizens of Egypt “can work together to serve the nation and achieve security, safety, and prosperity.”

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