Unlawful detention of lawyer Malek Adly
Egypt
Lawyers for Lawyers expresses its deep concern over the recent violence, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and unfair trials targeting civil society in Egypt, including Egyptian human rights lawyers. These government actions seem to have been triggered by the protest of 25 April 2016 against the human rights abuses by the regime and its recent decision to cede the sovereignty of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
Prominent human rights lawyer Malek Adly is among the lawyers that have been arrested. He is the director of the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) and the founder of the Front for Defending Egypt’s Protesters, a group of human rights organisations and lawyers documenting illegal practices carried out by the police against protesters, and providing assistance to protesters and prisoners. Malek Adly was arrested on 5 May 2016, after an arrest warrant was issued against him on 23 April following his call to participate in a demonstration planned for 25 April. He has been charged with, inter alia, destabilising the country and attempting to overthrow the regime. He is currently detained in Cairo’s Tora prison; during a remand hearing held on 18 May his detention was prolonged with another two weeks.
The Defence team for Malek Adly has filed complaints with various judicial authorities about the violations of his rights during his arrest and detention, including maltreatment and beating, solitary confinement, refusal of medication, and an initial denial of family and lawyer visits. His health is reported to be rapidly deteriorating.
Lawyers for Lawyers called upon the Egyptian authorities to immediately release Malek Adly and drop all charges against him as these seem to be aimed at hindering his legitimate work as a human rights lawyer.