Between March 8 and 14, 2025, Egyptian authorities arrested at least four members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. Their only “crime” was peacefully practicing their faith. Three of those arrested—Hussein Mohammed Al-Tenawi, Omar Mahmoud Abdel Maguid, and Hazem Saied Abdel Moatamed—were forcibly disappeared for several days before being brought before Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP).
They now face charges of “joining a group established in violation of the law and constitution.” Authorities have denied them access to lawyers of their choice. These arrests are part of a wider pattern of targeting religious minorities in Egypt who do not conform to state-approved religious beliefs.
Here’s what you can do:
Write to the Public Prosecutor urging him to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release Hussein Mohammed Al-Tenawi, Omar Mahmoud Abdel Maguid, Hazem Saied Abdel Moatamed, and all other Ahmadi religious minority members arbitrarily detained solely for peacefully practicing their faith.
- Open an independent and transparent investigation into the enforced disappearance of the three men.
- Stop prosecuting Ahmadi believers—and all others—simply for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief.
Write to:
Public Prosecutor Mohamed Shawky Ayyad
Office of the Public Prosecutor, Madinat al-Rehab
Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt
X: @EgyptianPPO
Salutation: Dear Counsellor,
And copy:
His Excellency Ahmed Abdallah Ibrahim Hafez
Ambassador
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
454 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, ON K1N 6R3
Tel: (613) 234-4931, 4935 Fax: (613) 234-9347/234-4398
Email: egyptembottawa@gmail.com
Ongoing discrimination against religious minorities in Egypt
In Egypt, religious minorities—including Coptic Christians, Shi’a Muslims, Bahá’ís, and atheists—frequently face discrimination. People who do not follow state-sanctioned religious beliefs are often harassed, threatened, or summoned for questioning by the National Security Agency. Some also face pressure from their schools or suffer abuse online.
Who are the Ahmadis and what triggered the crackdown?
The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light was founded in 1993. It follows the teachings of Imam Mahdi and recognizes Imam Ahmed al-Hassan as its divine guide.
In early March 2025, a member of the group hung a banner on a pedestrian bridge in Giza, promoting a TV channel called Mahdi Has Appeared. The banner showed the channel’s frequency and a photo of the religious leader.
This small act triggered a wave of arrests.
Targeted arrests, forced disappearances and torture
Security forces arrested the man who hung the banner on March 8. He was released later that day. But authorities found a Telegram group on his phone with other members of the Ahmadi faith. This led them to arrest Hussein Mohammed Al-Tenawi, Omar Mahmoud Abdel Maguid, and Hazem Saied Abdel Moatamed.
All three were forcibly disappeared and later subjected to torture, including electric shocks. On April 22, Hussein Al-Tenawi told his lawyers that National Security Agency officers tortured him at their headquarters. He also described poor conditions in 10th of Ramadan Prison—limited food, no medical care, and ongoing abuse.
Hussein’s brother, Ahmed Al-Tenawi, a Syrian asylum seeker, was arrested on March 11 and deported unlawfully to Syria on April 9.
According to UK-based Bishop Imran Ali, at least four other Ahmadi members were arrested during March. Some sent messages saying they were about to be detained. They have not been heard from since.
Please take action as soon as possible until August 20, 2025. The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.
