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.