July 7, 2017
New information
EGY 001 / 0617 / OBS 066.1
Enforced disappearance /
Arbitrary detention
Egypt
July 7, 2017
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the enforced disappearance while in detention of Mr. Tarek Hussein (known as Tito), human rights activist and lawyer at the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) [1].
According to the information received, on July 4, 2017, Mr. Tarek Hussein who had been detained at Ain El-Shams Police Station since June 20, 2017, was set to be transferred to Imbaba Police Station. However, Imbaba Police Station has since been denying Mr. Tarek Hussein’s presence within their premises.
In addition, on July 6, 2017, the Prison Authority told Mr. Tarek Hussein’s family he was not being held in any of their facilities, but refused to provide written proof of this. As of publication of this appeal, no information on the whereabouts of Mr. Tarek Hussein was available.
Following his enforced disappearance while in detention, Mr. Tarek Hussein’s family has submitted a complaint before the National Council for Human Rights on July 6, 2017. In addition, on July 5, 2017 the Lawyers’ Syndicate has filed a complaint against the Minister of Interior regarding the various violations of of Mr. Tarek Hussein’s rights. Although at least one newspaper article quoted an anonymous Ministry of Interior source stating that Tito would be held until authorities were able to fully confirm that he was not implicated in any other cases, no formal, written response to any of the complaints submitted by the family or the Syndicate have been received.
Mr. Tarek Hussein was first arrested on June 17, 2017 by officers from the Central Security Forces. Although he was not shown any arrest warrant he was later accused of “joining an illegal organization” and “calling for a protest”. The following day, he was granted provisional release on bail but remained detained (see background information).
The Observatory expresses its outmost concerns over the enforced disappearance while in detention of Mr. Tarek Hussein and consequently urges the Egyptian authorities to immediately disclose his whereabouts and allow him access to his lawyer and family.
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http://www.omct.org/human-rights-defenders/urgent-interventions/egypt/2017/07/d24436/