Detention of Wael Abbass
On 11 December 2018, journalist and human rights defender Wael Abbas was released, nine days after the Giza Criminal Court’s 14th Terrorism Chamber ordered his conditional release.
On December 2, 2018, the Giza Criminal Court’s 14th Terrorism Chamber ordered the conditional release of human rights defender and blogger Wael Abbas.
Wael Abbas is an Egyptian internationally acclaimed journalist and blogger. His social media accounts and blog Egyptian Awareness is followed by hundred thousands of people inside and outside Egypt. He has published several exclusive stories and videos on human rights crimes and corruption in public institutions since 2007.
On 11 December 2018, journalist and human rights defender Wael Abbas was released, nine days after the Giza Criminal Court’s 14th Terrorism Chamber ordered his conditional release. The terms of the conditional release require him to appear at a nearby police station every second day as a precautionary measure.
On December 2, 2018, the Giza Criminal Court’s 14th Terrorism Chamber ordered the conditional release of human rights defender and blogger Wael Abbas. The Giza Criminal Court’s 25th South Giza Criminal Chamber upheld the court order on 3 December 2018 by rejecting the appeal filed by the State Security Prosecution.
Wael Abbas will be released from Tora prison on probationary measures in the following days upon the completion of the release procedures. The conditions of his release require him to present himself at a local police station twice a week for two hours and the release needs to be renewed by the court every 45 days.
UPDATE: On 24 May, the State Security Prosecutor ordered the detention of Wael Abbass for 15 days pending an investigation into charges of “joining a terrorist group”, “using the Internet to call for terrorist acts” and “publishing false news”.
On 23 May at 4:00AM, Egyptian security raided the house of human rights defender and prominent blogger, Wael Abbas, in Tagammu Elkhamis district in new Cairo and arrested him. He is being detained in an unknown location.
Front Line Defenders is seriously concerned about the detention of Wael Abbas and is worried about his safety and well being. Front Line Defenders believes that his arrest and ongoing detention are acts of retaliation for his online activism and regular reporting on human rights abuses, as well as corruption, in Egypt.
