Case History: El Hussieny Hassan
On 15 September 2014, South Giza Court ordered the release on bail of human rights defender Mr El Husseiny Hassan upon payment of 10,000 Egyptian Pounds (approximately €1,080).
El Hussieny Hassan is a journalist and a member of the Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies, an organisation that promotes tolerance and rights-based approaches to resolving conflict. He also works as a journalist reporting human rights violations on the organisation's online radio programme, Horytna (Our Freedom).
On 15 September 2014, South Giza Court ordered the release on bail of human rights defender Mr El Husseiny Hassan upon payment of 10,000 Egyptian Pounds (approximately €1,080).
On 5 August 2014, the Investigative Judge of the Criminal Division of South Giza court extended the detention of El Hussieny Hassan for the sixth time. Police officers initially arrested him on 21 February 2014 while he was monitoring demonstrations in the Haram district of Cairo. During interrogations, the human rights defender informed the police of his human rights work and presented documentation signed and stamped by the organisation.
According to Police Report No. 2628/2014, El Hussieny Hassan has been charged with membership of a terrorist group; use of force and violence; arson; damaging public and private property; chanting slogans against army and police; blocking the road and obstructing traffic; participating in an unauthorised gathering and demonstration; and attempted murder of a news reporter.
Front Line defenders welcomes the release of El Husseiny Hassan but remain seriously concerned at the ongoing trial against him as it is believed to be related to his peaceful work in promoting human rights.
On 5 August 2014, the Investigative Judge of the Criminal Division of South Giza court extended the detention of human rights defender Mr El Hussieny Hassan for the sixth time.
Police officers initially arrested El Hussieny Hassan on 21 February 2014 while he was monitoring demonstrations in the Haram district of Cairo. During interrogations, the human rights defender informed the police of his human rights work and presented documentation signed and stamped by the organisation.
The police referred the human rights defender to the public prosecution via Police Report No. 2628/2014. El Hussieny Hassan has been charged with membership of a terrorist group; use of force and violence; arson; damaging public and private property; chanting slogans against army and police; blocking the road and obstructing traffic; participating in an unauthorised gathering and demonstration; and attempted murder of a news reporter. On 5 August 2014, the Investigative Judge of the Criminal Division of South Giza court ordered the extension of the detention of El Hussieny Hassan, who has been detained for six months. A date for his trial has yet to be announced.
Like many human rights defenders in Egypt, El Hussieny Hassan has been detained for his peaceful work monitoring human rights violations during public protests.
