22-6-2016
Engineer Ahmed Abdallah, the Head of Board of Trustees of the Egyptian Commission of Rights and Freedoms (ECRF), started a hunger strike yesterday in protest against the continuation of his preventive detention over a trumped-up case related to the protests of April 25 against a treaty handing over Tiran and Sanafir Islands to Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Abdallah’s decision to go on hunger strike (drinking only water and juices) came after an administrative court of the State Council issued a verdict canceling this treaty on the basis of the Egyptian Constitution and law. This verdict clears Ahmed Abdallah and others from the charges they face especially, the charge of spreading false news about the sovereignty of the two islands to Egypt, along with other arbitrary and trumped-up charges related to undermining the constitution and law, mostly charges based on the anti-terrorism law.
Ahmed Abdallah was arrested at the dawn of 25 April 2016 from his home and transfered to New Cairo police station 1, to be brought to the East Cairo Prosecution in the morning of the same day and accused of arbitrary and vague charges in case No. 10698 of year 2016 Misdemeanor Court of Ain Shams. Prosecution ordered Ahmed Abdallah’s detention 4 days pending investigation, which was extended several times by courts, the last extension was for 45 days on 5 of June 2016. Tomorrow Ahmed Abdallah will appeal against the extension of his preventive detention and should be brought before a criminal court next week to decide on his appeal.
ECRF holds the Egyptian authorities fully responsible of observing any serious deterioration of Ahmed Abdallah’s health that might threaten his life, and to provide him health care he needs when necessary. ECRF also demand the judicial authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ahmed Abdallah since he is a human rights defender who is facing false charges for his public and rights work and for practicing his constitutional rights.