PALAIS DES NATIONS • 1211 GENEVA 10, SWITZERLAND Mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment REFERENCE: UA EGY 11/2019 23 October 2019 Excellency, We have the honour to address you in our capacity as Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; and Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 33/30, 35/15, 34/18, 41/12, 34/5, 40/16 and 34/19. In this connection, we would like to bring to the attention of your Excellency’s Government information we have received concerning the trial, sentencing, imprisonment and provisional release of blogger and human rights defender Mr. Alaa Abdel Fattah, as well as the recent arrest of and charges against him, his lawyer Mr. Mohamed El-Baqer and human rights defender Ms. Abdel Fattah, and the physical and verbal abuse against them while in detention. The alleged violations of Mr. El-Baqer’s rights appear to be linked to his engagement with the UN in the field of human rights. Mr. Alaa Abdel Fattah is a prominent blogger, human rights defender and the co-founder of a popular blog aggregator, Manalaa, which promotes free speech and human rights. As a member of the “No to Military Trials for Civilians” movement, he has denounced human rights violations allegedly committed by the Egyptian security forces and military and the use of military trials for civilians. He has been arrested and detained several times for his involvement in peaceful protests. Mr. Abdel Fattah has been the subject of three communications sent by Special Procedures mandate holders (EGY 13/2011 sent on 22 December 2011, EGY 16/2013 sent on 3 December 2013 and EGY 17/2013 sent on 6 December 2013). We thank your Excellency’s Government for its responses dated 27 December 2013, 30 December 2013 and 21 January 2014, but we remain concerned given the new allegations detailed below.

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