Egypt: 173 pro-Palestinian detainees release dates put back
Egyptian pro-Palestinian detainees arrested in protests last year will continue to serve time behind bars without trial, according to TheNewArab.
The detention of 173 people, who face a number of charges including affiliation with terrorist groups and inciting unrest, was renewed by criminal courts across Egypt on November 14th.
Authorities added another 45 days to the pro-Palestinian detainees’ release dates citing ongoing investigations into 27 separate cases.
The court sessions were held without the captives present and no investigations or evidence was presented during the proceedings.
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Protests broke out in Egypt on October 20th in response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza, with activists crowding Cairo’s iconic Tahir Square.
Over the course of the demonstration, and others in the following months, Egyptian security forces carried out arrests of organisers and participants, accusing many of terrorism-related charges.
Reports suggested numerous enforced disappearances and only now that the exact number of detainees has become clear.
Since Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi seized power in a military coup in 2013, Egypt has banned any public protest that has not been approved the government.
The Egyptian people and their government have come to blows over Israel since normalisation in late 1970s, with subsequent regimes maintaining the status-quo.
The cordial relationship between Cairo and Tel Aviv reflects strong commercial ties in energy and security cooperation.
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According to the MiddleEastEye in June, Egyptian exports to Israel doubled in first half of 2024, standing at $25m in May.
Despite geopolitical pressures, the two have been working much more closely since Hamas’ attack on October 7th, cooperating on energy and security.
Israeli natural gas imports sharply increased in Egypt this year, partly to support the decline in local gas extraction and financial restraints on the north African county’s energy sector, according to Levantis.me.
Other Arab nations increasing their trade with Israel include the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
TheNewArab, MiddleEastEye and Levantis.me
