Restrictions: Travel Ban |
Gamal Eid is a prominent human rights defender and executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI). Mr Eid founded ANHRI in 2004 with the aim of establishing an organisation to defend human rights in general, and freedom of expression in particular in Egypt and the Arab world through research and legal support to victims.
On 4 February 2016, Mr Eid was denied by Cairo Airport officials from boarding a flight to Athens. He had no prior knowledge, no notification or summon for investigation regarding the travel ban and didn’t receive any information about the judicial body responsible for it.
Mr Eid is a lawyer who graduated from `Ain Shams University College of Law and served as a defence attorney in several human rights cases during the Mubarak era.
On 10 October 2019, Gamal Eid was physically assaulted in the street. The attacker tried to steal his bag and repeatedly beat him with the butt of his gun. The attack was reportedly committed by security personnel. Approximately two weeks later, on 31 October, Mr Eid was borrowing the car of one of his colleagues and he found that it had been smashed. Mr Eid’s own car had been stolen on 30 September. He reported these incidents to the police, however the prosecution concluded the investigation abruptly, without hearing his testimony or those of witnesses. On 13 November, the prosecution decided to reopen the investigation.
On 29 December 2019, a number of armed men, who seem to have been security forces, beat up Gamal Eid near his house. They threw paint at him, and brandished weapons at bystanders and neighbours who attempted to stop the attack and defend Mr Eid.
On 30 November 2020, the administrative court indefinitely adjourned appeal no 7720/72 he submitted to challenge the travel ban issued against him.
In August 2021, Mr Eid was questioned for the first time and he remains under investigation in case no 173 of 2011. 2 years later, he remains under travel ban and asset freeze and under investigation as part of case 173/2011 although the authorities claim the case is almost closed.