Cairo: 31 December 2020
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said today that what has happened at the detention renewal session of prisoner of conscience, researcher and teacher Reda Abdel-Rahman is nothing but an a ludicrous and absurd scene that tramples over justice and the rule of law in Egypt. Since his arrest and enforced disappearance, Reda has been subjected to flagrant violations and assaults because of his religious affiliations (Quranist), before he appeared once again at Kafr Saqr Prosecution and stood accused of “joining ISIS”, which is a really farcical accusation.
ANHRI added that its lawyers headed yesterday to Kafr Saqr Prosecution office to attend the detention renewal session of Reda Abdel-Rahman pending Case No. 3418 of 2020 Kafr Saqr Emergency State Security, but they were surprised at something that has nothing to do with the law or justice. Abdel-Rahman’s detention was renewed at the facility’s corridor, where a person carrying cases’ files came and informed him that his detention had been just renewed for 15 days and asked for his signature on the session’s record, without bringing him before any of the prosecutors or even hearing his statements or defense regarding the charges attributed to him as stated in the Criminal Procedure Law. Abdel-Rahman, consequently, was returned back to his cell in a ludicrous and intrusive scene that is added to the series of absurdity that the teacher has been subjected to.
Reda Abdel-Rahman was arrested, along with his brother and a number of his realtives, on 22 August 2020 before a police force broke into Reda’s house in the village of Abu Hariz, Sharqyia governorate. Once they arrived at the police station, Reda’s brother and relatives were released, and the teacher was taken to an unknown destination where he had been kept under enforced disappearance until 6 October 2020. Thereafter, Reda appeared at Kafr Saqr Prosecution for investigation into Case No. 3418 of 2020 Kafr Saqr Emergency State Security. The authorities falsely alleged Reda was arrested on the same day he appeared at the Prosecution according to on an arrest warrant issued by the Public Prosecution on 5 October 2020, which is based on an investigating report issued by the National Security Sector on 4 October 2020 claiming that Reda belongs to ISIS terrorist organization.
It is noteworthy that “Rida” was subjected to a series of violations due to his religious belief and belonging to the Quranist sectsect. the crackdown against him began in 2008 when an administrative decision was issued to arrest him under the emergency law, then in 2016, the National Security Agency in Sharkia Governorate summoned Reda and interrogated him over his religious affiliation, and as a consequence, they ordered him not to post or disseminate any writings or activities related to the expression of his religious belief, which the teacher responded to.
ANHRI called on the Public Prosecutor to swiftly release the Quran teacher Reda Abdel-Rahman; since his detention order is considered null and void by the force of law and the absence of the pretrial detention justifications. ANHRI also called for stop using remand detention as a tool to crack down against citizens because of their beliefs or views, in addition to opening an investigation into Reda’s enforced disappearance in the period from 22 August 2020 until appearing before the Prosecution thereafter, urging the Public Prosecutor’s deputies to review their role in properly enforcing the law and hold accountable those who contribute to the undermining of the rule of law, so that the aforementioned absurd scene of detention renewal; does not turn into a normal proceeding.
