“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 (From 23 December to 29 December 2021):
- The release of activist Sanaa Seif following the implementation of the prison sentence issued against her (Release order)
- Extending the sentencing hearing against Engineer Yehia Hussein Abdel Hadi over his accusation of spreading false news (Trials)
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution interrogated 34 citizens on charges of terrorism and spreading false news (Prosecution investigations)
- The Third Terrorism Circuit at Cairo Criminal Court is considering the detention renewal of 639 citizens on charges of terrorism (Detention renewal)
- High-security imprisonment handed down against the defendants in the case known in the media as “Hisham Ashmawi Cell” (Judicial rulings)
Second: Details on the monitoring of justice news in a week
1- Investigations
23 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.
25 December 2021
1-The State Security Prosecution interrogated 20 citizens, after they were arrested from different governorates on different dates, on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.
2- Detention renewals
26 December 2021
1- Cairo Criminal Court considered the detention renewal session of 220 citizens in cases No. 984 of 2021, 965 of 2021, 960 of 2021, 930 of 2019 (which includes journalist writer Hisham Fouad), 911 of 2021, 910 of 2021, 880 of 2020, 865 of 2020, 786 of 2020, 773 of 2020, 755 of 2021, 741 of 2019 (in which human rights lawyer Amr Nohan is accused), 722 of 2015, 689 of 2017, 662 of 2021, 630 of 2017, 627 of 2021, 626 of 2021, 620 of 2021, 482 of 2021, 1781 of 2019, 1683 of 2021, 1624 of 2021, 1365 of 2018, and 1332 of 2018, 1222 of 2021
27 December 2021
1-Cairo Criminal Court considered the detention renewal session of 78 citizens in the following cases: No. 968 of 2020, 924 of 2021, 912 of 2021, 909 of 2021, 864 of 2020 (which involves journalists Hani Greisha and Essam Abdeen whose detention was renewed by the court for further 45 days each) , 814 of 2020, 811of 2020, 648 of 2020, 623 of 2018, 484 of 2021, 33 of 2021, 1869 of 2021, 1617 of 2021, 1555 of 2018, 1442 of 2021, 1413 of 2021, 1358 of 2019, 1335 of 2019, 1006 of 2020.
28 December 2021
1-Cairo Criminal Court considered the detention renewal session of 205 citizens in the following cases: No. 960 of 2020, 908 of 2021, 880 of 2020 (which involves Doctor Walid Shawqi whose detention has been renewed by the court for further 45 days), No. 65 of 2021, in which activist Nermin Hussein (ANHRI’s client) is accused and ordered detained for 45 days.
- The Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of citizen Mustafa Mahmoud Mohamed in Case 910 of 2021 Supreme State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group.
- Alexandria Criminal Court renewed the detention of clothing merchant and a wholesale employee for 45 days after accusing them of joining a terrorist group.
29 December 2021
1- Cairo Criminal Court considered the detention renewal session of 136 citizens in cases 955 of 2020 (among the defendants in this case: photojournalist Hamdi Al-Zaeem, who is one of ANHRI’s client) 575 of 2020, 566 of 2020, 563 of 2020, 385 of 2017, and 376 of 2021, 26 of 2021 (which involves journalist Hussein Karim, a client of ANHRI), 1196 of 2020, 1116 of 2021, 1058 of 2020, and 1018 of 2020.
3- Release orders
26 December 2021
1- The Third Terrorism Circuit at Cairo Criminal Court ordered the release of 20 citizens in the case No. 880 of 2020 and 960 of 2020 State Security.
28 December 2021
1- The Third Terrorism Circuit at Cairo Criminal Court ordered the release of one defendant in the case No. 65 of 2021 State Security.
2- The Third Terrorism Circuit at Cairo Criminal Court ordered the release of 11 defendants in the case No. 880 of 2020 State Security.
4- Set free
- December 2021
1- The Prisons Authority sector released activist Sanaa Seif after serving the sentence issued against her in Case 12499 of 2020 First Settlement Misdemeanor.
5- Trials
25 December 2021
1- The Third Terrorism Circuit set the trial of 8 defendants in the case known in the media as “ISIS-Helwan” for adjudication at the hearing of 23 January 2022.
2- The Fifth Terrorism Circuit adjourned the trial of 3 defendants, including a fugitive, in the case known in the media as “Al-Waili Terrorist Cell” for 12 February 2022 for pleadings.
3- The Third Terrorism Circuit adjourned the retrial procedures of 19 defendants in the life and high-security prison sentences issued in absentia against them in connection with the “Al-Warraq riots” for December 30, 2021 for pleadings.
26 December 2021
1- The Fourth Terrorism Circuit adjourned the trial of human rights lawyer Hoda Abdel Moneim, former member of the National Council for Human Rights, along with Aisha Khairat Al-Shater and 29 defendants in the case known in the media as “Trial of Egyptian Coordination for Personal Rights’ members” for the February 14th session to hear the witnesses.
2- The Third Terrorism Circuit set the trial of one defendant in the case known in the media as “Nusra Terrorist group’s Mufti” for adjudication at the 23rd January 2022.
3– The Third Circuit of Terrorism at the Emergency Supreme State Security Criminal Court adjourned the trial of the defendants in the case of the “Terrorist Agnad Organization Cell” for December 30 to check the exhibits.
27 December 2021
1- Nasr City Emergency State Security Misdemeanor Court extended the sentencing hearing against Engineer Yehyia Hussein Abdel-Hadi, into his accusation of publishing false news and statements, for February 28, 2022.
6- Rulings
25 December 2021
1- The Ismailia Criminal Court’s the Fourth Circuit sentenced a woman and an unemployed man to death, after being convicted of murdering a teacher and injuring the husband of the accused in the case No. 4480 of 2015 Qantara felonies.
27 December 2021
1-The First Terrorism Circuit at the Emergency State Security Court sentenced two defendants to 15 years in prison, two others to 10 years in high-security prison, and 7 defendants to 10 years in high-security prison, while it ordered one defendant detained in a juvenile care home in the case known in the media as “Hisham Ashmawi cell”.
28 December 2021
- Zagazig Criminal Court sentenced a couple to death by hanging in Faqous city for being accused in a criminal case of killing a farmer and stealing his mobile phone.
- Cairo Criminal Court sentenced two brothers to death by hanging after convicting them of murdering a taxi driver to steal his car.
7- Administrative and Constitutional judiciary:
25 December 2021
- The Court of Administrative Justice at the State Council ruled that it has no jurisdiction over the case demanding to prevent the entry of refugees into the Egyptian territory.
- The First Circuit “Rights and Freedoms” of the Court of Administrative Justice at the State Council rejected the lawsuit demanding the abolition, dissolution and liquidation of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood due to its unconstitutionality.
- The Court of Administrative Justice adjourned the lawsuit calling for canceling and halting the implementation of the Prime Minister’s decision to prevent entry of unvaccinated employees and citizens to government facilities and sectors for the hearing of 5 February, 2022.
- The Court of Administrative Justice rejected the lawsuit filed by former lawyer and parliamentarian Zyiad Al-Elimi, who is being held behind bars over his accusation in the “Cell of Hope” case, calling on the authorities to enable him to contact his lawyer and family by any means of communication.
- The First Circuit of the Court of Administrative Justice at the State Council ruled that it has no jurisdiction over the Case No. 50447 of Judicial Year 73, which was filed by a lawyer to demand the suspension of the working permit granted to Human Rights Watch in Egypt.
26 December 2021
- The Court of Administrative Justice at the State Council turned down the lawsuit demanding the suspension of the Tik Tok application for its promotion of clips/footages of violence and bullying.
26 December 2021
- The Court of Administrative Justice decided to refer the lawsuit filed against the Minister of Education, demanding to cancel the decision to ban photography inside educational facilities, to the State Commissioners Authority.
- The Court of Administrative Justice at the State Council adjourned the first session of the lawsuit demanding banning women from wearing niqab (face veils) in government, private and international schools for January 8, 2022.
8- Legislation and Resolutions:
23 December 2021
- The Minister of Justice decided to grant a number of employees working for Luxor Water Company the status of judicial control officers, in accordance with the provision of Article 23 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for crimes that violate the provisions of Law No. 27 of 1987 regulating public water resources for drinking and human use as well as Law No. 93 of 1962 regarding the disposal of liquid waste.
27 December 2021
- The Court of Administrative Justice at the State Council adjourned the sentencing hearing in the lawsuit demanding the suspension of the collection of value-added tax upon Law 67 of 2016 from sports clubs and youth centers with a retroactive effect. The case was postponed to 10 January, 2022.
28 December 2021
- Egypt’s President issued a Resolution No. 615 of 2021 renewing the assignment of a number of judges (chiefs of appeal) to work in the committee formed under Law No. 22 of 2018 regulating procedures for seizure, inventory, management and disposal of funds of terrorist groups and terrorists for a further year that ends on 20 September 2022.
9- Judicial Statements:
29 December 2021
- The Administrative Prosecution decided to refer 8 officials at the “Al-Zawyia Al-Hamra” Tax Errand to a disciplinary trial, in connection with Case No. 129 of the Judicial Year 63, after it was proven that “they didn’t fulfill their duty of duty and didn’t perform the work entrusted to them accurately and honestly in addition to not preserving the funds of the entity they work for which resulted in wasting public money”.
- The investigative authorities referred Karim El-Hawary’s lawyers, who are accused of impersonating police officers and attempting to seize the surveillance cameras that recorded the Sheikh Zayed car accident, in which El-Hawary is accused of, to the Misdemeanor Court.
ANHRI’s comment
1- The Prisons Authority has released Sanaa Seif after completing/serving her one-and-a-half year prison sentence in the felony case considered before the Criminal Court in New Cairo for allegedly insulting and lying to a public official (the commander of the guards of the Tora Prison Complex), in relation to the assault on her family by a group of (hired) women who are paid to attack them. Sanaa had been arrested during her appearance in front of the Public Prosecutor’s office in Al-Rehab by unidentified persons, whom they turned out to be officers affiliated to the Ministry of the Interior, before she was taken to the State Security Prosecution for interrogation.
2- Terrorism circuits have continued to consider the detention renewal orders of hundreds of detainees pending investigations conducted by the State Security Prosecution. The number of defendants who appeared before the Prosecution this week has reached 936 persons, whose detention has been renewed for further 45 days, while only 32 defendants have been released.
3- The Emergency State Security Misdemeanor Court has continued to extend the sentencing hearing against Engineer Yehia Hussein Abdel Hadi into his exceptional trial brought against him by the State Security Prosecution for posting an opinion on the social networking website “Twitter”. His case had been referred to the exceptional judiciary prior to the termination of the state of emergency and the suspension of its notorious law.
* 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.
