EuroMed Rights welcomes the acquittal of child rights defender Aya Hegazy and her co-defendants on Sunday 16 April and urges the Egyptian authorities to release them as soon as possible.
This case, known as the Belady case, is another proof that the Egyptian criminal justice system fails to meet international standards. An interim trial observation report, published jointly by EuroMed Rights, BHRC and CIHRS, had previously documented how Aya Hegazy’s right to a fair trial, her right to the presumption of innocence, and to an effective defence have all been violated.
EuroMed Rights strongly condemns the use of cages to hold defendants in court, which demean their integrity. This also interferes with the presumption of innocence, and prevents defendants and lawyers to meet in private, thereby restricting their ability to prepare for the trial. EuroMed Rights calls on the Egyptian authorities to address these failures and allow for fair trials to take place.
This verdict comes after Aya and her co-defendants spent nearly three years in pre-trial detention.