Ramadan Without Bars | Mohamed Adel: Over 11 Years Between Prison, Surveillance, and Deferred Freedom
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) takes the opportunity of the holy month of Ramadan—a time that embodies justice and forgiveness—to renew its calls for the immediate release of prisoners of conscience, whether held in pretrial detention or serving prison sentences.
As part of this effort, the center has launched the “Ramadan Without Bars” campaign, featuring a series of articles highlighting individuals imprisoned for their political opinions. The campaign aims to demand their release and advocate for the freedom of all those unjustly detained on similar charges.
On a quiet Ramadan evening, Rofayda Hamdy sat at the iftar table, staring at the empty chair left by her husband, Mohamed Adel, a political activist who has been imprisoned for more than 11 years. She had lost count of the times he had been absent from their iftar gatherings—his absence had become a painful reality in her life.
The following day, Rofayda decided to visit Mohamed in prison, bringing him an iftar meal she had lovingly prepared. She made her way to Tenth of Ramadan Prison, where he had recently been transferred after being forcibly relocated from the high-security Gamsa Prison in late December 2024. She hoped this visit would be different, bringing news of his imminent release.
Upon arrival, she waited patiently for the visiting hours. When she finally saw Mohamed, they exchanged smiles and warm words, attempting to overcome the prison bars with their love and resilience. She shared details of her daily life, holding onto the hope that they would soon break their fast together at home.
As the visit ended, she bid him farewell with tear-filled eyes, praying that this would be the last time she saw him behind bars. She returned home and sat once again before the empty chair, clinging to hope and faith that they would soon be reunited and that his seat would no longer remain vacant.
Mohamed Adel, born on August 8, 1988, was a young activist full of hope and determination for a better future in Egypt. His political activism began in 2005 with the Kefaya movement, and he played a key role in mobilizing for the April 6, 2008 general strike, later becoming one of the founding members of the April 6 Youth Movement. In 2009, he became the movement’s spokesperson, voicing the aspirations of Egyptian youth.
However, his activism came at a high cost. On December 22, 2013, he was sentenced to three years of hard labor and a fine of EGP 50,000 on charges of violating the protest law and assaulting police officers. After completing his sentence, he was subjected to an additional 18 months of arbitrary police surveillance.
In June 2018, Mohamed was rearrested on charges related to his political activities and exercise of fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. He remained in pretrial detention for five years without a fair trial. In September 2023, a misdemeanor court in Aga, Mansoura Governorate, sentenced him to four years in prison on charges of spreading “false news” on social media. According to his wife and lawyer, he is expected to remain imprisoned until September 2027, as his pretrial detention has been linked to additional cases with similar charges.
Throughout his detention, Mohamed’s health has significantly deteriorated. Since May 30, 2022, he has suffered from peripheral neuropathy, knee joint inflammation, and chest pain, yet has been denied access to adequate medical care. In May and July 2024, he was hospitalized due to worsening health conditions, which were attributed to lack of sunlight exposure and absence of physical therapy. The prison hospital merely provided painkillers and mild medications.
On July 26, 2024, Mohamed launched a hunger strike in protest of his extended imprisonment and the harsh restrictions imposed on him. Despite his declining health, prison authorities refused to officially document his hunger strike. In March 2024, National Security officers threatened him with solitary confinement or transfer to a harsher prison, as retaliation for demanding better detention conditions at Gamsa Prison.
Rofayda, who has endured these years with patience and resilience, has repeatedly appealed to authorities for her husband’s release. In September 2024, she launched a petition addressed to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, urging him to grant Mohamed a presidential pardon. In May 2024, 80 Egyptian and international human rights organizations called for his immediate release, highlighting that Gamsa Prison authorities were depriving him of sufficient food, further worsening his health condition.
Today, Mohamed Adel spends his seventh consecutive Ramadan behind bars, enduring ongoing suffering and inhumane detention conditions. Rofayda, whose dreams have been shattered by his prolonged incarceration, holds onto the hope that this will be his final Ramadan in prison, so they can begin a new life—free from injustice and oppression.
On this occasion, calls for Mohamed Adel’s release—along with all prisoners of conscience—are being renewed. It is time for them to reunite with their families, reclaim their freedom, and break free from the chains of unjust imprisonment—so that Ramadan is no longer spent behind bars.
