Hossam Bahgat, a prominent Egyptian human rights activist and the executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), was recently released on bail. This development follows his detention on charges of “joining and financing a terrorist group” and “spreading false news,” accusations that have drawn significant international attention. For further details, the EIPR’s statement on the matter is available here.
Bahgat was summoned by Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) and questioned for over three hours. Interestingly, neither the investigation’s nature nor the accusations were initially disclosed to him. As the EIPR condemned these terrorism charges, it also demanded their dismissal, underscoring the assertion that the charges stem from their efforts to promote human rights within Egypt. This instance marks the fourth investigation targeting EIPR since 2020, allegedly due to their activism. Further insights can be found in EIPR’s appeal to the Prosecutor General.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have long argued that this treatment reflects a broader pattern of intimidation against EIPR’s staff. Amnesty highlights the Egyptian authorities’ efforts dating back to 2015, when Bahgat was detained due to his reporting on governmental matters. The impact was significant—his assets were frozen, and a travel ban was imposed the following year. In 2020, three other EIPR members faced similar detention under comparable terrorism charges, as detailed by Human Rights Watch.
Moreover, the SSSP has been criticized in Human Rights Watch’s 2024 report for allegedly detaining activists and journalists arbitrarily, a behavior described as being part of an abusive prosecutorial branch focused on undermining peaceful human rights operations. The full report is accessible here.