Amnesty International, alongside multiple nongovernmental organizations, has issued a formal statement urging the Egyptian government to release lawyer and activist Ibrahim Metwally, who has been detained pre-trial for nearly seven years. The plea highlights numerous miscarriages of justice Metwally has endured, including allegations of torture and denial of basic legal rights.
Metwally, co-founder of the Association of the Families of the Disappeared, was apprehended in 2017 at Cairo International Airport. He was en route to Switzerland to participate in a conference organized by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. His arrest occurred under contentious circumstances amidst Egypt’s controversial stance on opposition to international watchdogs, as referenced in the Criminal Code of Egypt.
In the period following his arrest, Metwally was detained incommunicado and allegedly tortured by officers from the National Security Agency (NSA), as he informed his lawyers upon his eventual appearance before the Supreme State Security Prosecutor (SSSP). Accusations against the SSSP include employing “rotation” tactics—cycling through charges to prolong detention—a practice advertised as forbidden by Egyptian legislation yet reportedly still in practice. These tactics have led to multiple cycles of dropping and refiling charges against Metwally, most recently, an accusation of funding terrorism activities.
Calls for Metwally’s release are being bolstered by UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor, who has condemned his treatment as “haphazard” and contrary to international legal standards like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Lawlor’s admonitions underscore the UN’s dissatisfaction with Egypt’s apparent reprisal tactics against those who engage with international bodies.
The ongoing case of Ibrahim Metwally, currently held in Badr 3 prison and reportedly suffering from severe health conditions, persists as a point of contention amid NGOs’ efforts to draw global attention to Egypt’s human rights practices. A thorough report by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has framed Metwally’s continued detention as an arbitrary act, supportive of claims forwarded by advocacy groups seeking to hold the Egyptian government accountable. For more detailed coverage on Metwally’s case, refer to the full report on JURIST’s website.