Egypt frees activist amid scrutiny of repeat arrests
Grafitti in Cairo in relation to the April 6 Youth Movement.
Egypt has released political activist Sherif al-Rouby after more than three years in detention, AFP reported via Africanews on 6 April, in a move that renews scrutiny of repeated detentions in the country.
Al-Rouby had been held since 2022 after taking part in protests and was freed under a presidential pardon. His lawyer Khaled Ali confirmed the release and said he was in good health.
The activist faced charges including spreading false news and joining a banned group. He is a member of the April 6 Youth Movement, one of the groups that helped mobilise protests during Egypt’s 2011 uprising and was later outlawed.
His case drew attention after he was re-arrested in 2022 following comments about prison conditions, having first been detained for taking part in the protests.
Organisations and activists said it reflected a pattern in which detainees are released and then held again in new cases, adding that al-Rouby spent extended periods in pre-trial detention. They said detainees are often added to new investigations shortly before release to keep them in custody. Al-Rouby’s 2022 arrest was the fourth time he had been detained and the third on the same charges.
Egypt has detained thousands of people in recent years on political charges, including activists, journalists and oppositionfigures. Authorities say the measures are necessary to maintain stability and address security threats, while critics say the laws are used to limit dissent.
The release comes amid a series of presidential pardons issued since 2022, after a committee reviewing detainee cases was reactivated. Several activists have since been freed, including blogger Mohamed Oxygen who spent six years behind bars. However, rights groups say these releases remain limited compared to the number of detainees.
Concerns also persist over arrests and prison conditions, including the detention of online content creators and reported deaths in custody.
AFP via Africanews, International Service for Human Rights, COP Civic Space, Maghrebi.org
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