In Egypt, authorities continue to rely on arbitrary arrests, vague national security charges, and exorbitant bail amounts to intimidate and financially exhaust human rights defenders and journalists.
On 20 January 2026, prominent defender Ahmed Douma was arrested without a warrant from his home in Cairo. He was detained for over 12 hours, blindfolded and restrained, and subjected to ill-treatment. Authorities confiscated his electronic devices and personal belongings. He was later charged with “spreading false information” and “misleading public opinion” in connection with his reporting on prison conditions. He was released on bail of 100,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately €1,800). This marks his seventh arrest since his release from long-term imprisonment in 2023.
Two weeks later, veteran defender Aida Seif El-Dawla, co-founder of the El Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture, was summoned for interrogation and charged with “spreading false news.” She was also released on bail of 100,000 Egyptian pounds. The case reportedly relates to documentation of torture and abuses in detention facilities.
These cases reflect a growing pattern in which defenders are interrogated on repetitive and vaguely defined charges, then released only upon payment of high financial bail. This practice functions as a form of indirect punishment and financial pressure, contributing to a climate of fear and self-censorship.
ProtectDefenders.eu condemns the escalating use of judicial harassment and financial coercion against those exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and human rights advocacy. Egyptian authorities must end these practices and ensure full respect for due process and fundamental freedoms.
