We have been informed that on 17 May 2021, a group of plain clothed security officers arrested Egyptian lawyer Fathi al-Tahir Ghayati, while he was visiting his family members in the city of Zagazig. After being disappeared for two days, Mr. Ghayati was investigated, charged and subjected to pre-trial detention. Mr. Ghayati is currently still being held in pre-trial detention.
After his arrest, Mr. Ghayati, who has recently been defending political prisoners including fellow lawyers, was brought to his house, where the security officers searched his house and confiscated devices and data storage disks, that contain information which should have remained confidential to protect lawyer-client confidentiality. He was then brought to an unknown location, where he was disappeared for two days. We have been informed that he was brought to the National Security Agency (NSA). At the NSA, Mr. Ghayati was reportedly interrogated about his work as a lawyer, his defense of clients in political and freedom of expression cases, and his activities related to the Muslim Brotherhood. We have been informed that Mr. Ghayati denied the allegations and underlined that he carried out his legitimate activities as a lawyer.
Mr. Ghayati was investigated by the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) under case number 908 of 2021 on 20 May 2021. According to the information received, the Prosecutor’s Office subsequently charged him with “joining and financing a terrorist group”, by providing legal support to detainees in political cases. At the end of the investigation, the prosecutor decided to imprison Mr. Ghayati for fifteen days pending investigation. Mr. Ghayati is currently still being held in pre-trial detention.
