Cairo 23 October, 2018

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) today publishes the story of the case of smothering the voices, punishment for conducting an economic research and kidnapping with impunity.

On the arrest of Abdel Khalek Farouk and the abduction of the owner of a publishing house.

– Sunday, 14 October 2018

The abduction of Ibrahim Hassan Ismail from Dar el-Salam for printing a book entitled “Is Egypt Really a Poor Country?” By the economic researcher Abdel khalek Farouk, although there was a book deposit number and an authorization to print from the author. In addition to seizing the printed copies.

– Monday, 15 October 2018

ANHRI’s lawyers who have power of attorney from researcher “Abdel Khalek Farouk” find the owner of the publishing house at Dar el-Salam police station, the police station admits he is being held illegally by orders of the National Security.

– Wednesday, 17 October 2018

The lawyers send telegrams to the Public Prosecutor on the illegal detention of the publishing house owner, and obtain official photocopies of the telegrams.

– Thursday, 18 October 2018

The owner of the publishing house continues to be held at the National Security without legal basis or an order from the Public Prosecution.

– Sunday, 21 October 2018

Researcher Abdel Khalek Farouk got arrested from his home in Shorouk city, while he was receiving treatment for a dog’s bite, he was detained inside Shorouk police station, his lawyers were allowed to see him, while the owner of the publishing house continued to be illegally detained.

– The investigation on Monday, 22 October 2018

– Abdel Khalek Farouk referred to South Cairo Prosecution, and an investigation was opened carrying No. 343 of 2018 South Cairo.

– The lawyers see a warrant issued on October 21 for the arrest of Farouk and the owner of the publishing house, with an investigation memo.

– The investigation memo is full of errors and fabrications: A wrong address in which Farouk no longer lives since 12 years. Farouk’s name was wrong as it was written “Abdel Khalek Farouk Tawfiq”, while his name is “Abdel Khalek Farouk Hassan”. The investigations claim that the information and data are wrong, without proving any details on what is wrong or anything based on any scientific evidence or research.

– The prosecution was handed the official photocopies of the telegrams sent to the Public Prosecutor which prove that the owner of the publishing house has been kidnapped since October 14, ie, that he was in the custody of the national security for a week but the prosecution does not punish the kidnappers and orders that the victim be held for four days.

– Abdel Khalek Farouk was asked about his sources and documents that prove his research on economic issues such as: (Prisons, the new administrative capital, oil, and the wealth of Hosni Mubarak), although he declared that he had the sources and documents and asked to – be allowed to bring them, the prosecution did not grant him this right.

– He was asked why he dedicated his book to the martyrs of Palestine and Ahd al-Tamimi!! Although this is an illegal question, he replied that he was preparing the book during 2017 during the rise of the Palestinian resistance and the case of Ahd al-Tamimi.

– Farouk said that he had obtained a deposit number, gave an authorization to the publishing house and that the owner of the publishing house had nothing to do with the content of the book, he was printing it as a paid job and that he had been kidnapped a week ago illegally.

– The evening of Monday, 22 October 2018

The interrogation lasted for 6 hours, questions about views and ideas were made, in violation of the Constitution and the foundations of scientific research.

The number of seized copies of the book are 185, Farouk said the number of copies was supposed to be 200.

ANHRI’s lawyer attended the owner of the publishing house, who is supposed to have been kidnapped for a week although he had nothing to do with Farouk’s decision. If there was a crime in the scientific research, he is merely the owner of a publishing house doing his job.

– Charges:

Possession of publications containing false news.

Spreading false news.

– The decision:

Detention for 4 days pending investigation, and the detention renewal session will take place on Wednesday, October 24, 2018.

Researcher Abdel Khalek Farouk and the owner of the printing press were taken to Dar el-Salam police station, where the alleged incident took place.

– Remarks:

– Scientific research is not a crime.

– Investigating opinions and ideas is contrary to the Constitution and all legal and scientific norms.

– The wasting of evidence of kidnapping, without holding the kidnapper accountable, is evidence for the police state and the waste of law.

– The owner of the publishing house did not commit any offense, he has all the legal documents, he is a victim, and yet he was imprisoned.

– The investigation memos are misleading, wrong and fabricated, to be added to many cases based on false investigations that citizens lose their freedom because of it.

– Farouk has been bitten by a dog, he also has diabetes and needs medical care.

– The conditions for pre-trial detention do not apply, neither to the researcher nor the owner of the publishing house. Nonetheless, they – – were imprisoned, apparently as a punishment for the researcher for conducting a scientific research to discuss the causes behind the mistakes and disasters in the management of the economy.

– ANHRI’s opinion:

– This is a political case intended to smother the voices of those trying to expose economic failure.

– Scientific research should not be criminalized contrary to the Constitution.

– The prosecution ought to punish those who kidnapped and detained the owner of the publishing house for a week, and to provide – – – – – evidence of his abduction, which means that the prosecution wasted the law and facilitated impunity.

Egypt is a police state, the regime is hostile to scientific research, expression of opinion became a crime in Egypt.