Mahienour El-Masry released on bail
On 18 July, the Public Prosecution Office ordered the release of Mahienour El-Masry on bail.
On 30 August 2020, woman human rights defender Ms. Mahienour El-Masry was interrogated at the Public Prosecution Office, accused of a second count of "joining an illegal organisation" as part of the recently opened case No. 855 of 2020.
On 5 May 2020, the Criminal Court of Cairo renewed the detention of woman human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry and human rights defenders Mohamed El-Baqer, Ibrahim Ezz El-Din, and Mohamed Ibrahim for an additional 45 days.
On 11 February 2020, the Criminal Court of Cairo renewed the preventive detention of woman human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry for an additional 45 days. Since her arrest on 22 September 2019, her detention has been repeatedly renewed every 15 days.
On 18 November 2019, the Supreme Public Prosecution renewed the preventive detention of human rights lawyer Mahienour El-Masry for fifteen additional days, for “investigative purposes”.
On 3 November 2019, the Supreme Public Prosecution renewed the preventive detention against human rights lawyer Mahienour El-Masry for fifteen additional days, for “investigation purposes”.
On 20 October 2019, the Supreme Public Prosecution renewed the preventive detention of Mahienour El-Masry for an additional 15 days.
On 23 September 2019, the Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered 15 days of preventive detention for human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry.
On 22 September 2019, human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry was arrested by security forces outside of the State Prosecution Office in Cairo. Her place of detention remains unknown. Given the modalities of her arrest, it is believed that no arrest warrant was presented.
Mahienour El-Masry is a human rights defender who works to promote judicial independence and prisoners' rights by organising peaceful protests, raising awareness using social media, and organising support for political prisoners in the form of solidarity events and bail fundraising.
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- 22 July 2021 : Mahienour El-Masry released on bail
- 1 September 2020 : Mahienour El-Masry under investigation in new case
- 7 May 2020 : Detention sentence of HRDs renewed in absentia
- 12 February 2020 : Mahienour El-Masry’s preventive detention renewed
- 19 November 2019 : Mahienour El-Masry’s preventive detention renewed
- 6 November 2019 : Renewal of Mahienour El-Masry’s preventive detention
- 22 October 2019 : Mahienour El-Masry’s preventive detention renewed
- 24 September 2019 : Mahienour El-Masry given 15 days of preventive detention
- 23 September 2019 : Detention of Mahienour El-Masry and other human rights defenders
On 18 July, the Public Prosecution Office ordered the release of Mahienour El-Masry on bail. Previously, Mahienour El-Masry’s preventive detention has been repeatedly renewed since shortly after her arrest outside the Public Prosecution Office in Cairo in September 2019.
On 30 August 2020, woman human rights defender Ms. Mahienour El-Masry was interrogated at the Public Prosecution Office, accused of a second count of "joining an illegal organisation" as part of the recently opened case No. 855 of 2020. On 31 August 2020, the Supreme Public Prosecution renewed Ms. El-Masry’s preventive detention for 15 days.
Mahienour El-Masry’s preventive detention has been repeatedly renewed since shortly after her arrest outside the Public Prosecution Office in Cairo in September 2019.
On 5 May 2020, the Criminal Court of Cairo renewed the detention of woman human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry and human rights defenders Mohamed El-Baqer, Ibrahim Ezz El-Din, and Mohamed Ibrahim for an additional 45 days.
The renewal session was held in absentia, without the human rights defenders or their lawyers present. The human rights defenders are being held in prison in inhumane conditions, placing them them at high risk in the context of COVID-19.
The decision to hold the renewal hearing without the presence, even by video link, of the human rights defenders or their lawyers due to COVID-19 restrictions is clearly an attempt to use such restrictions as a way to deny human rights defenders due process.
On 11 February 2020, the Criminal Court of Cairo renewed the preventive detention of woman human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry for an additional 45 days. Since her arrest on 22 September 2019, her detention has been repeatedly renewed every 15 days.
Mahienour El-Masry is facing the charges of "joining an illegal group", "publishing false news", and “misuse of social media".
On 18 November 2019, the Supreme Public Prosecution renewed the preventive detention of human rights lawyer Mahienour El-Masry for fifteen additional days, for “investigative purposes”.
On 3 November 2019, the Supreme Public Prosecution renewed the preventive detention against human rights lawyer Mahienour El-Masry for fifteen additional days, for “investigation purposes”.
On 20 October 2019, the Supreme Public Prosecution renewed the preventive detention of Mahienour El-Masry for an additional 15 days.
On 23 September 2019, the Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered 15 days of preventive detention for human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry. She is facing charges of "joining an illegal group", "publishing false news", and misuse of social media".
On 22 September 2019, human rights defender Mahienour El-Masry was arrested by security forces outside of the State Prosecution Office in Cairo. Her place of detention remains unknown. Given the modalities of her arrest, it is believed that no arrest warrant was presented.
Mahienour El-Masry is a human rights defender who works to promote judicial independence and prisoners' rights by organising peaceful protests, raising awareness using social media, and organising support for political prisoners in the form of solidarity events and bail fundraising.
On 22 September 2019, Mahienour El-Masry was leaving the State Prosecution Office when she was taken by security officials in plain clothes and forced into a van. Family and lawyer visits are not possible as the location of her detention is unknown.
Mahienour El-Masry was previously harassed and detained by the Egyptian authorities. On 30 December 2016, she received a prison sentence of two years by the Alexandria Misdemeanours Court for “protesting without a permit”, which was overturned on appeal. In 2015, she was sentenced to one year and three months in prison in relation to a sit-in to protest against police brutality. In 2014, she was sentenced to two years for participating in demonstrations; the sentence was later reduced to six months.
The arbitrary detention of Mahienour El-Masry is in response to demonstrations which began on 20 September 2019 demanding the resignation of the Egyptian president Abdelfattah Al-Sisi. According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, 373 persons were arbitrary detained in Cairo, Alexandria, Damietta, Mahalla and Suez since the start of the demonstrations, including several human rights defenders. The Egyptian security forces responded to the demonstrations with tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition. The detained human rights defenders are facing several charges, including “joining illegal an organisation”, “demonstration without a permit”, and the “spread of false news”. Human rights defender Mohamed Ibrahim was detained on 21 September 2019 when he reported to the police station to comply with the precautionary measures of his release in connection to a separate case against him from 2018.
Front Line Defenders is concerned about the detention Mahienour El-Masry and other human rights defenders in connection to their peaceful and legitimate human rights work and the exercise of their right to freedom of peaceful assembly.
