“The most important investigations, trials and procedures related to justice and respect for the rule of law that took place in a week and ANHRI’s commentary on them”
First: The most important justice news in a week (9 December to 15 December 2021)
- The Public Prosecution in Sharqyia governorate has ordered the re-detention of 25 citizens after they were rotated /added into new cases after receiving rulings of acquittal (rotation into new cases)
- The Fourth Terrorism Circuit at Cairo Criminal Court is considering the detention renewal of 1001 citizens pending State Security cases (detention renewal)
- The defendants accused in the case known in the media as “smuggling wanted men from Cairo Airport” has been sentenced to life imprisonment and 15 years in high-security prison (judicial rulings)
- Rulings and referrals to the Mufti pave the way for the issuing of verdicts against 10 defendants in criminal cases (judicial rulings)
- Terrorism circuits in criminal courts have postponed the consideration of trials in cases known in media as “the Revolution’s 3rd anniversary” “Badrashin- ISIS Cell”, “The Arab Police Station incidents”, and “members of the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms” (trials)
- Businessman Hassan Ratib, former MP Alaa Hassanein and others have been referred to criminal trial in the case known in the media as the ‘Great Antiquities” (judicial statements)
Second: Details on the monitoring of justice news in a week
1- Investigations
11 December 2021
1-The State Security Prosecution interrogated 19 citizens, after they were arrested from different governorates on different dates, on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.
2-The 10th of Ramadan Prosecution interrogated 6 citizens, after they were arrested from different governorates on different dates, and ordered them detained for 15 days pending investigations on charges of joining a terrorist group and possessing publications.
3-Abo Kebir Prosecution interrogated 9 citizens and ordered them detained for 15 days pending investigations on charges of joining a terrorist group and possessing publications.
12 December 2021
1-The State Security Prosecution interrogated 14 citizens, after they were arrested from different governorates on different dates, on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.
2-Heya Prosecution interrogated Ibrahim Mahmoud Al-Mallaha and ordered them detained for 15 days pending investigation. He is being held at Kafr Saqr Prison.
2- Rotation into new cases
9 December 2021
1- Ibrahimiya Public Prosecution in Sharqyia governorate investigated 7 citizens and held them in pretrial detention for 15 days after rotating/ adding them into a new case on a charge of joining a terrorist group after ordering their acquittal.
2- Zagazig Prosecution in Sharqyia governorate interrogated two citizens and held them in pretrial detention for 15 days after rotating/ adding them into a new case on a charge of joining a terrorist group after ordering their acquittal.
11 December 2021
1- Ibrahimiya Public Prosecution in Sharqyia governorate investigated 4 citizens and held them in pretrial detention for 15 days after rotating/ adding them into a new case on a charge of joining a terrorist group after ordering their acquittal.
2- Minya Al-Qamh Prosecution in Sharqyia governorate investigated 4 citizens and held them in pretrial detention for 15 days after rotating/ adding them into a new case on a charge of joining a terrorist group after ordering their acquittal.
3- Derb Negm Public Prosecution in Sharqyia governorate investigated two citizens and held them in pretrial detention for 15 days after rotating/ adding them into a new case on a charge of joining a terrorist group after ordering their acquittal.
3- Detention renewal
12 December 2021
1- The Fourth Terrorism Circuit at the criminal court, convened at the Police Cadets Institute the Tora Prisons Complex, considered the detention renewal of 432 defendants in cases investigated by the Supreme State Security Prosecution in Cases No. 975 of 2020 and 930 of 2019, which involves human rights lawyer and former parliamentarian Zyiad Al-Alimi and journalists Hisham Fouad and Hossam Moanes, 915 of 2021, 865 of 2020, which includes businessman Safwan Thabet and his son, 855 of 2020, which involves activist Sameh Seoudi and blogger Mohammed Oxygen, 812 of 2020, 800 of 2019, 680 of 2020, 580 of 2020, 483 of 2021, 470 f 2019, 441 of 2018, 238 of 2021, 1781 of 2019, 1530 of 2019, 1450 of 2019, 1269 of 2019, 1175 of 2018, 1226 of 2020, 1106 of 2021, which involves photojournalist Sayed Abd Allah, 1017 of 2020 .
13 December 2021
1- The Fifth Terrorism Circuit, convened at the Police Cadets Institute in Tora Prison Complex, has considered the detention of 222 defendants in cases No. 979 of 2020, 955 of 2020, 919 of 2021, 911 of 2021, 910 of 2021, 867 of 2021, 759 of 2014, and 755 of 2021, 700 of 2017, 656 of 2021, 620 of 2021, 598 of 2016, 575 of 2020, 563 of 2020, 549 of 2020, 444 of 2018, 367 of 2012, 335 of 2020, 316 of 2017, 26 of 2021, which involves journalist Hussein Ali Kareem, 1739 of 2018, 1618 of 2019, 148 of 2017, 1413 of 2019, 1338 of 2019, 1196 of 2020, 1053 of 2020, and Case No. 1022 of 2020.
14 December 2021
1- The terrorism circuit, convened at the Police Cadets Institute in Tora Prison Complex, has considered the detention renewal orders against 156 defendants in cases investigated by the Supreme State Security Prosecution: Case No. 984 of 2020, 965 of 2021, 900 of 2017, 90 of 2021, 662 of 2021, 626 of 2021 , 615 of 2020, 595 of 2021, 577 of 2020, 569 of 2020, 566 of 2020, 514 of 2019, 507 of 2020, 2007 of 2007, 1898 of 2019 (which includes lawyer Mohab El-Ebrashi and activist Hassan Mostafa) 1270 of 2019, 1235 of 2019, 1052 of 2020.
15 December 2021
1- The terrorism circuit, convened at the Police Cadets Institute in Tora Prison Complex, has considered the detention renewal orders against 156 defendants in cases investigated by the Supreme State Security Prosecution: Case No. 991 of 2021, 970 of 2020, 915 of 2021, 910 of 2021, 865 of 2020, and 65 of 2021, 630 of 2017, 570 of 2020, 535 of 2020, 483 of 2021, 238 of 2021, which involves journalist Tawfiq Ghanem, client of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information(ANHRI) ,1360 of 2019,1222 of 2021, 1108 of 2020, 1057 of 2020, 1000 of 2021.
4- Release orders
12 December 2021
1- The Fourth Circuit of Terrorism in Cairo Criminal Court ordered the release of one defendant in Case No. 855 of 2020 Supreme State Security with precautionary measure, and also ordered the probationary release of one defendant in Case No. 915 of 2021 Supreme State Security, together with two defendants in Case No. 1106 of 2020 Supreme State Security and 16 defendants in Case No. 1530 of 2020 Supreme State Security.
13 December 2021
1- The Fourth Circuit of Terrorism in Cairo Criminal Court released 3 defendants in Case No. 955 of 2020 Supreme State Security with precautionary measure, along with one accused in Case No. 911 of 2021 Supreme State Security and one accused in Case No. 1413 of 2019 Supreme State Security with a precautionary measure.
5- Set free
9 December 2021
- The 10th of Ramadan police station set free 2 citizens after completing the procedures for their release
11 December 2021
- Kafr Saqr Police Station set free 3 citizens after completing the procedures for their release.
- Zagazig Police Station set free 1 citizen after completing the procedures for his release.
6- Trials
12 December 2021
1- Cairo Criminal Court’s 5th terrorism circuit adjourned the retrial procedures of 11 defendants in the case known in the media as “The third January Revolution” for the hearing convened on 8 January 2022 for pleadings.
2- Port Said Criminal Court adjourned the retrial of 17 defendants affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood group in the case known in the media as “Al-Arab Police Station incidents” to proceed with the pleadings.
3- Abo Kebir Misdemeanor Court set the retrial procedure of 12 defendants for adjudication at the hearing convened on 18 December 2021.
4- Zagazig Misdemeanor Court adjourned the retrial procedure of 9 defendants for the first of January for checking case documents.
5- Zagazig Misdemeanor Court adjourned the retrial procedure of 9 defendants accused in Case No. 3722 of 2021, Case No. 3651 of 2021 for the first of January for checking case documents.
6- The Emergency Supreme State Security Criminal Court set the retrial of one defendant who was previously convicted in absentia in the case known in the media as “ISIS- Badrshin” for adjudication at the hearing of 14 February 2022.
14 December 2021
1- Cairo Criminal Court adjourned the trial of 3 defendants in the case known in the media as the “Al-Waili terrorist cell” for the hearing convened on December 25.
15 December 2021
1-The Fifth Terrorism Circuit adjourned the trial of Hoda Abdel Moneim, human rights lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights, along with Aisha Al-Shater and 29 others in the case known in the media as “The Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms activists” for the December 26 session.
7- Trials
9 December 2021
- The Ismailia Criminal Court decided to refer the papers of one defendant to the Mufti over his accusation in a criminal case, which is known in the media as “Ismailia massacre”.
- The Zagazig Criminal Court decided to refer the papers of one defendant to the Mufti of the Republic over his accusation in a criminal case, in which they are charged with killing and wounding 7 people, including his son.
- Cairo Criminal Court sentenced three defendants to death by hanging, over his accusation in a criminal case, in which they are charged with murdering a woman, burning her body, and stealing 500 pounds in the Zeitoun area.
- The Second Circuit of Terrorism in Giza Criminal Court sentenced 23 defendants to life imprisonment, 19 defendants to 15 years in prison, while it ordered the acquittal of 4 defendants, and the abatement of criminal proceedings against two defendants, who are deceased, in the case known in the media as the “smuggling wanted men from Cairo International Airport”.
12 December 2021
1- Cairo Criminal Court decided to refer the papers of one defendant to the Grand Mufti after being charged with murdering a young man who stabbed a young man with a white weapon in front of his house in the Amiriya district. The court set the session of February 13 to pronounce the verdict.
2- The Fourth Terrorism Circuit sentenced one defendant to 5 years in high-security prison and another defendant to 3 years in the case known in the media as “Ain Shams incidents”
13 December 2021
1- Giza Criminal Court decided to refer the papers of a tuk-tuk driver to the Grand Mufti over his accusation of killing a child.
14 December 2021
1- The Mansoura Criminal Court decided to refer the papers of a mechanic to the Grand Mufti, accusing him, along with three others, of killing a tuk-tuk driver and stealing his vehicle.
15 December 2021
1- Cairo Criminal Court sentenced one defendant to death by hanging in the criminal case in which he is charged with killing his neighbor by hanging him with an electric cable.
8- Administrative and constitutional judiciary:
11 September 2021
- The Administrative Court of Justice adjourned the lawsuit, which demands that the Council of Ministers be obligated to resume the national project to employ the outstanding graduates, master’s and doctoral holders, as of the 2015 batch. The case was adjourned for the January 22 session for checking case documents.
9- Legislations and Resolutions:
December 9, 2021
- Prime Minister’s Decision No. 3295 of 2021 renewing the appointment and assignment of some members of the Public Prosecution at the Judicial Inspection Department to work in the Office of State Security Affairs, for a period of “one year” as of 10/1/2021, in addition to their work in the Public Prosecution.
- Prime Minister’s Decision No. 3296 of 2021 renewing the assignment of some judges to work as full-time members of the Office of State Security Affairs, for a period of “one year” ending on 9/30/2022.
- Prime Minister’s Decision No. 3297 of 2021 renewing the assignment of some judicial inspectors to work in the Office of State Security Affairs for a period ending on 9/30/2022.
10- Judicial data:
12 December 2021
- The Public Prosecution posted a statement on its official page on the social networking website “Facebook” on the Public Prosecutor’s decision to refer businessman Hassan Rateb, former MP Alaa Hassanein and others to the criminal trial in the case known in the media as “Grand Antiquities”.
13 December 2021
- The Public Prosecution posted a statement on its official page on the social networking website “Facebook” about the Public Prosecutor’s decision to refer Karim El-Hawary, son of a businessman and owner of the “Hyper One” chain, to a criminal trial on charges of using narcotics and killing four people.
14 December 2021
- The Public Prosecution published a statement on its official page on the social networking website “Facebook” about the Public Prosecutor’s decision to imprison two lawyers, one of whom is entrusted with the defense of Karim El-Hawary, for a period of four days, ordering the arrest of two others for impersonating members of the Public Prosecution to seize the surveillance cameras in the case of the accused Karim El-Hawary.
ANHRI’s comment
- Despite the grave violation of the law, the phenomenon of rotation (adding defendants to new cases after receiving acquittals) continues, by the Public Prosecution rotating 25 citizens in Sharqyia governorate after they were acquitted by court, ordering them detained for 15 days pending investigations that are based on false and fabricated records/reports.
- The Fourth Terrorism Circuit considering the detention renewal sessions of 1001 defendants at the Police Cadets Institute in Tora Prison Complex has resulted in the release of no more than 30 defendants only, while the court ordered hundreds of defendants detained for further 45 days despite the fact that some of them have already exceeded the maximum two year- period stipulated by law and the rest of them are detained over accusations that are fabricated against them through the phenomenon of rotation.
- Capital punishment/ death penalty are on the rise on unprecedented levels. This week only, the papers of 10 defendants were confirmed, issued, and referred to the Grand Mufti in criminal cases, in preparation for their execution making Egypt ranks first in the world in the number of death sentences issued by the end of 2020.
- With strict sentences, the second terrorism circuit at Giza Criminal Court convened at the Police Cadets Institute in Tora Prisons Complex, closed the case known in the media as “the Airport”, by handing down life imprisonment sentences against 23 defendants and a 15-year prison sentence against 19 defendants, while only 4 defendants were acquitted, in addition to ordering the abatement of criminal proceedings against two defendants who passed away during their trial.
* A weekly newsletter that monitors the most important investigations, trials, and proceedings related to justice and respect for the rule of law, which took place during the week (from Thursday to Wednesday). It is based on the work carried out by ANHRI’s Criminal Justice Program team, in addition to media reports and the news published by the Official Gazette, and concludes with ANHRI’s comments and opinion on the incidents being monitored.
