Egyptian authorities’ arbitrary detention and prosecution of government critics represent a grave violation of the fundamental right to freedom of expression.
Development Diaries reports that in recent weeks, at least four critics of the government have been arbitrarily detained and referred for prosecution on charges stemming solely from their legitimate exercise of freedom of expression.
Findings by Human Rights Watch (HRW) reveal that these individuals, including two journalists and a researcher, have been targeted solely for exercising their legitimate rights to voice concerns and report on issues of public interest.
Such actions undermine the very principles of democracy and human rights, which are essential for a just and fair society.
The use of incommunicado detention, prolonged pretrial detention, and baseless terrorism-related charges against these critics is a clear indication of the Egyptian government’s growing intolerance towards dissenting voices.
For years, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s administration has relentlessly attacked media freedom as well as other forms of freedom of expression.
According to the International Committee to Protect Journalists, as of 2023, Egypt accounted for over 13 percent of all jailed journalists worldwide, making it consistently one of the nations with the highest number of journalists under arrest.
It is pertinent to state that Egypt is a state party to international instruments guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 19) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Article Nine).
Despite the government’s claims of pursuing reforms, the harsh repression of freedom of expression and the crackdown on independent media paints a different picture.
Development Diaries condemns the suppression of freedom of expression in Egypt and calls for an end to attacks and violations of rights.
Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of any democratic society, and its suppression in Egypt must be condemned.
Photo source: Khaled Desouki/AFP
