A/HRC/57/60 11. Egypt 77. The case of Mr. Ebrahim Abdelmonem Metwally Hegazy, a human rights lawyer and co-founder of the Association of the Families of the Disappeared, has been included in reports of the Secretary-General since 201882 on allegations of enforced disappearance and torture while attempting to attend a meeting in 2017 with the United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. Mr. Metwally was charged with founding and leading an illegal terrorist organization, conspiracy with foreign entities to harm state security and spreading false news. Mandate holders and treaty bodies have addressed his case and raised concerns on several occasions.83 78. According to information received by OHCHR, Mr. Metwally continues to be held at the Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Badr 3 (Cairo). The latest renewal of his detention by the Cairo Criminal Terrorism Court took place on 12 May 2024, for 45 more days, which reportedly exceeds the authorized time for pre-trial detention. Mr. Metwally has been in pretrial detention for three years under case 786/2020. The visits he receives are recorded and a police officer is always present. 79. The case of Mr. Ahmed Shawky Abdelsattar Mohamed Amasha, a human rights defender and co-founder of the League for the Families of the Disappeared, has been included in reports of the Secretary-General since 2017 on allegations of abduction, detention, and torture following his engagement with UN mechanisms, including the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. In 2019, Mr. Amasaha was released on bail, but detained again in June 2020. Special Procedures mandate holders have addressed Mr. Amasha’s case on several occasions. 80. According to information received by OHCHR, Dr Amasha remains detained in the Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Badr 3 (Cairo). On 25 February 2024, the Cairo Criminal Terrorism Court postponed the hearing of his case until 14 April 2024. 81. The case of the cyber-attack against and blockage of the website of the NGO Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) following its publication of a joint report to the Human Rights Council as its contribution to the mid-term Universal Periodic Review of Egypt was included in the 2023 report of the Secretary-General. According to information received by OHCHR, access to the website was restored in March 2024. 82. Allegations of asset freezes and travel ban against CIHRS and its staff were included in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 reports of the Secretary-General. According to information received by OHCHR, on 20 March 2024 the investigative judge in case 173/2011 (known as the “foreign funding case”) closed the investigation against CIHRS, dismissed charges on grounds of insufficient evidence and lifted the travel ban and asset freezes imposed on Mr. Mohamed Zaree, Director of the Egypt Office at CIHRS (EGY 16/2017). 83. The case of Mohamed el-Baqer, a human rights lawyer from the Adalah Center for Rights and Freedoms, has been included in the reports of the Secretary-General since 2020 on allegations of arrest, ill-treatment and terrorism charges following the engagement of the Adalah Center in Egypt’s 2019 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) concerning the human rights situation of the Nubians (EGY 11/2019). In 2021, Mr. el-Baqer was convicted and sentenced for “joining a terrorist organization” and “participating in a criminal agreement with the intention of committing a terrorist crime” and was included in an official terrorist list. 84. According to the information received by OHCHR, Mr. El-Baqer was released from prison in July 2023 following a Presidential pardon. Mr. el-Baquer’s name is still included on a terrorism list (Case No. 1781/ 2019) exposing him to a possible travel ban and arrival 82 83 50 A/HRC/39/41, Annex I, para. 32–35. A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, paras. 42–44; A/HRC/45/36, Annex II, paras. 44–46; A/HRC/48/28, Annex II, paras. 40–41; A/HRC/51/47, Annex II paras, 64–65, A/HRC/54/61, Annex II paras, 50–51. EGY 5/2021, https://media.un.org/en/asset/k12/k1260210x0; CCPR/C/SR.3959, para. 19; and https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2023/03/dialogue-egypt-experts-human-rights-committee-commendmeasures-combatting. GE.24-14259