Five years in pretrial detention. On Saturday, June 24, 2023, “Aga Misdemeanor Court” will hear the second session of Mohamed Adel’s trial on charges of spreading false news. The Egyptian Center calls on the authorities to release him.

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, activist Mohamed Adel is waiting the hearing of the second session of his trial before Aga Misdemeanor Magistrate Court pending Case No.4118 of 2018 Sherbin- Dakahlia Administration, on charges of spreading false news. He and his family are still waiting for a glimpse of hope to end the tragedy of his imprisonment that lasts for years, at the time calls to end the cases and release him continue in order to grant him his freedom.

Days ago, Adel completed five years in pretrial detention pending case No.4118 of 2018 Sherbin-Dakahlia Administration, and a previous case No.5606 of 2018 Aga- Dakahlia Administration in which he was released. In the two cases, Adel faced the same charges based on two reports against him on charges, including misusing social media websites by writing posts through a Facebook account allegedly owned by him, while he exceeded the legal period of pretrial detention in the two cases.

Generally, Adel has so far spent a third of his life between imprisonment, police surveillance and restricted freedom. More than eight years in prison which were separated by few months of freedom for that young man who is in his 30s and absent from his family and beloved ones throughout this period. Even, he got married to his wife inside prison.

In light of the openness in the file of prisoners of conscience in the recent period, and the release of a number of prisoners of conscience on releases and presidential pardon lists, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) calls on the responsible authorities, starting with the Presidency, passing through the Presidential Pardon Committee and the Public Prosecution, to intervene to end the suffering of Adel and his family by releasing him, and closing all cases in which he is imprisoned.

The Center indicates that despite releasing all the leaders of April 6 Movement, and a number of prisoners of conscience with decisions of release and Presidential pardon, Adel is still imprisoned for years without any reason, while his humane suffering continues by being imprisoned, and the suffering of his family continues due to his absence.

The Center believes that the continued imprisonment for Mohamed Adel represents a fully-fledged human tragedy, wondering about the extent of possible danger that would occur in case he restored his freedom.

The tragedy of April 6 Movement leader started in December 2013, when security forces had stormed the headquarters of ECESR in which Adel was working as a volunteer in its Media Unit. He was arrested in connection with the case known as “Abdeen demonstration events”.

After ending his verdict for three years, and while he was serving other three years under police surveillance, he was arrested again on June 18, 2018 while preparing to leave Aga Police Station in 6 a.m. after ending his daily surveillance. Then he was imprisoned for more than two years pending Case No.5606 of 2018 Aga-Dakahlia Administration on charges of spreading false news before releasing with 10,000 Egyptian pounds as bail.

Now, he is in pretrial detention pending the second Case No.4118 of 2018 Sherbin-Dakahlia Administration under the same charges in which he got released in the first case. Despite a decision to release him was issued, the Prosecution appealed that decision. Then the Court upheld the Prosecution’s appeal, and ordered to continue his imprisonment.

On November 14, 2020, it is mentioned that during Adel’s pretrial detention pending the second case, he announced a hunger strike during a hearing to consider his imprisonment. He entered a hunger strike due to what he was described as “ill treatment inside Mansoura General Prison” in protest of the cancellation of his family visit for the second consecutive time.

Moreover, he was also summoned to the National Security Prosecution for investigation pending Case No.467 of 2020 on charges of “joining a terrorist group, with his knowledge of its purposes, together with funding and supplying it with information from his prison”.

According to his wife, Rowaida Hamdy, Adel complains of bad conditions in Gamassa maximum-security prison in Dakahlia Governorate where he had been transferred from Mansoura Prison.