Release of Employees Detained in the “Journalists’ Sit-in” Protest Against Dismissal Due to the “Drug Testing Law”
The Qasr El-Nil Prosecution has released on Sunday, June 2, 2024, the employees who were detained since yesterday, Saturday, in the vicinity of the Journalists’ Syndicate, following their protest against their dismissal from work due to Law No.73 of 2021. This law allows for dismissal on the grounds of drug use without a judicial order.
The employees were detained in relation to case No.3506 of 2024, Qasr El-Nil Misdemeanors, on charges including assembly, despite having previously sent a notification with proof of receipt to the Qasr El-Nil Police Department regarding the date of the protest.
It is important to note that drug testing for employees is a routine procedure to detect the use of drugs or alcohol. This testing is usually conducted on urine, blood, hair, or saliva samples, knowing that blood drug analysis is considered the most accurate.
Law No. 73 of 2021 stipulates that one of the conditions for appointment or continued employment is the demonstration of non-use of drugs through random testing conducted by the relevant authorities.
Moreover, the law specifies penalties, including imprisonment for anyone found to have tampered with the test or provided false results. In cases where drug use is confirmed, work is suspended for three months and half of the salary is deducted, with a confirmatory test to be conducted.
