A/HRC/60/62
reports of the Secretary-General since 201865 on allegations of enforced disappearance and
torture while he was attempting to attend a meeting in 2017 with the United Nations Working
Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. In 2019, the Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention found his detention to be arbitrary, noting that his detention amounted to
an act of retaliation for cooperation with the UN (A/HRC/WGAD/2019/41, paras 34, 40, 46,
51). Mr. Metwally was charged with founding and leading an illegal terrorist organization,
conspiracy with foreign entities to harm state security, and spreading false news. Special
procedure mandate holders and treaty bodies have addressed his case on several occasions.66
61.
On 8 January 2025, mandate holders raised concerns regarding the prolonged pre-trial
detention of Mr. Metwally – reportedly exceeding seven years as a result of the addition of
new cases with nearly identical charges on three occasions, and in violation of the two-year
limit for pre-trial detention under Egyptian law. Mandate holders highlighted that each of the
charges against him appear directly linked to his human rights work and interaction with
United Nations human rights mechanisms and expressed concerns over his deteriorating
health and apparent lack of adequate medical care or treatment. (EGY 8/2024) Reportedly,
Mr. Metwally’s first two trials, after seven years in pre-trial detention without one, are
scheduled to take place in August and October 2025, in relation to case No. 900/2017 and
case No. 1470/2019. The Government responded to mandate holders describing
Mr. Metwally’s alleged involvement in terrorist related activities, including while in prison,
and confirmed that he had been charged with the offence of joining a terrorist group while
aware of its purposes, and is currently detained at Badr Prison 3.67
62.
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, was included in
reports of the Secretary-General from 2017 until 2022, on allegations of abduction, detention,
and torture following his engagement with UN mechanisms, including the Working Group
on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances.68 In 2017, the Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention found his detention arbitrary (A/HRC/WGAD/2017/78, paras. 89–91). In 2019,
Mr. Amasaha was released on bail but detained again in June 2020. Mandate holders have
addressed Mr. Amasha’s case on several occasions.69 According to information received by
OHCHR, the latest hearing on his case was due to have taken place on 13 April 2025 but was
postponed to 24 May 2025. Mr. Amasha has remained in pretrial detention to date, for almost
five years at the time of writing under the same case since his initial investigation on 12 July
2020. In September 2022, he was reportedly transferred to Badr Prison in Cairo, where he
remains in the Correction and Rehabilitation Center.
63.
References to the impact of Egyptian legislation on the ability of individuals and
civil society groups to cooperate with the United Nations have been included in the reports
of the Secretary-General since 2017, 70 noting allegations on the misuse of the Terrorist
Entities Law (Law 8 of 2015), the Anti-Terrorism Law (Law 94 of 2015), and the NGO Law
149/2019 and its regulations, to hinder or punish cooperation with the United Nations, as
well as the use of travel bans. On 8 November 2024, mandate holders raised concerns about
the Draft Law on the Issuance of the Criminal Procedure Law No. 150 of 1950, which would
repeal the current Law No. 150 of 1950 on the Code of Criminal Procedure and any provision
in Egyptian law that is in contradiction of the draft law(EGY 5/2024). Reportedly, this draft
65
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, A/HRC/57/60, Annex II paras, 77-78.
66 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. EGY 10/2020, EGY 12/2019 and EGY 14/2017.
67 https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=38915.
68 A/HRC/36/11, Annex I, para. 34, A/HRC/39/41, Annex II, para. 17-18. A/HRC/42/30, Annex II,
paras. 45–46; A/HRC/45/36, Annex II, paras. 44–46; A/HRC/48/28, Annex II, paras. 42-43;
A/HRC/51/47, Annex II paras. 62-63.
69 EGY 5/2021, EGY/5/2017.
70 A/HRC/36/31, Annex I, para. 33; A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, paras. 49–50; A/HRC/45/36, Annex II,
paras. 50–53; A/HRC/48/28, Annex II paras. 50–53; A/HRC/51/47 Annex II, para. 73, AHRC/54/61,
Annex II para, 57 and A/HRC/57/60 Annex II, para 85.
56