Since the adoption of the Protest Law in November 2013, numerous Egyptians have been arrested and charged with participating in peaceful demonstrations, including prominent Egyptian human rights activist Alaa Abdel Fattah who was arrested on 28 November 2013. He was charged with the offences of “participating in a demonstration”, “assaulting a police officer” and “calling for protests”. Mr. Abdel Fattah has been detained for 115 days before his first court hearing presided by Judge Mohammed El-Fikki when he was released on bail.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) sent international human rights lawyers Lionel Blackman and Rosa Curling to observe the second hearing of Mr. Abdel Fattah’s trial on 6 April 2014. The hearing was held in a heavily fortified police compound situated in Torah, a few kilometres from the centre of Cairo. “The Special Chambers”, where the hearing of Mr. Abdel Fattah’s case is held, was set up to deal with “terrorist offenses”. These chambers are now used to try cases concerning offenses under the Protest Law.
Having been granted permission by the presiding judge, both observers were allowed to attend the hearing. The defendant’s family and the public, however, were not allowed into court.
“The international community and NGOs should follow this trial closely and all others that are taking place in Egypt under its controversial Protest Law”, said Mr. Blackman, President of Solicitors’ International Human Rights Group and EMHRN member. “The independence of the judiciary, access to courts and the right to review detention are of particular concern.”
In 2005, Mr. Abdel Fattah filed a complaint of electoral fraud against Judge Mohammed El-Fikki. At yesterday´s hearing, Mr. Abdel Fattah’s lawyers obtained an adjournment of the hearing pending a review of Judge El-Fikki’s involvement in the case.
An EMHRN report written by the two observers will follow.