Badr Mohamed, now 28, has been arbitrarily detained for over four years. He was arrested in connection to the Ramsis Square protests on August 16, 2013, when he was 17. In January 2023, Badr was sentenced to five years in prison after an unfair trial.
He is currently held in Badr 1 prison under cruel and inhuman conditions. The prison is extremely hot, and he lacks sufficient food.
The Egyptian authorities must quash Badr Mohamed’s sentence, release him immediately, and allow him to travel to Austria. There, he can reunite with his wife and his three-year-old daughter, who was born while he was imprisoned.
Here’s what you can do:
Write to the President of Egypt urging him to:
- Quash Badr Mohamed’s unjust conviction and sentence and immediately release him from arbitrary detention.
- Allow Badr Mohamed to travel abroad to reunite with his family in Austria.
- Pending his release, grant him access to his family and lawyers, and ensure he receives adequate healthcare.
- Hold Badr Mohamed in conditions that meet international standards for the treatment of prisoners.
Write to:
President Abdelfattah al-Sisi
Email: p.spokesman@op.gov.eg
X: @AlsisiOfficial
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
Arrest and initial detention
On August 16, 2013, security forces arrested Badr Mohamed, then 17, during the Ramsis Square protests. Amnesty International reported excessive force used by security forces, resulting in the deaths of 97 protesters. Badr sought safety in Al-Fath Mosque, which was later raided, leading to his arrest.
He was named as a suspect in case 8615/2013 and interrogated without a lawyer on August 19, 2013. Initially detained with adults in Wadi al-Natron prison, he was later moved to a juvenile facility until his release on bail in November 2013. International law states that child detention should be a last resort, reviewed regularly, and for the shortest duration.
Life in hiding and unfair trials
After his release, Badr suffered from PTSD and lived in hiding, fearing re-arrest. On August 18, 2017, he was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison on multiple charges, including murder and property destruction. His trial, involving 494 defendants, was unfair, heavily relying on security force testimonies.
On May 11, 2020, security forces arrested Badr again in front of his wife during a Ramadan Iftar. His retrial began in July 2020, facing numerous delays. On January 12, 2023, he was convicted again and sentenced to five years, with the verdict relying on secret reports and testimonies from security officials. No material evidence of his participation in protests was presented.
Inhumane prison conditions
Badr is held in Badr 1 prison under cruel and inhuman conditions. Extreme heat, lack of fans, and frequent power cuts have led to a hunger strike among prisoners since June 2024.
Prisoners protest inadequate healthcare, humiliating body searches, ill-treatment of families during visits, reduced exercise time, and restricted family visits. Some also protest lengthy pretrial detentions exceeding the legal limit. In response, prison officials imposed punitive measures, including transferring prisoners to distant facilities and cutting off electricity and water.
Please take action as soon as possible until January 19, 2025! The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.
