1,000 Days of Amr Imam's Pretrial Detention
Published: Jul 13, 2022 Reading time: 4 minutes
Amr is a human rights defender and lawyer who was arrested at his home in Maadi, Cairo, on October 16, 2019. Thirty-six hours after his arrest, he appeared at the Supreme State Security Prosecutor's office and was added to case No. 488 of 2019, the same case in which he had been representing other defendants.
The case included allegations of spreading false news, misuse of social media, and joining a terrorist group—but neither formal charges nor evidence has been brought against Amr.
On August 26 2020, Amr was investigated and held in custody in yet another case: No. 855 of 2020, with the same previous allegations. Still, no evidence was presented against him.
In both cases, other well-known political and human rights figures were "investigated" for the same allegations as Amr. Yet, most of these were released after varying periods of pretrial detention.
Similarly, on April 24 2022, a list of pardons and releases was announced after the President's Iftar at the end of Ramadan, in which the President announced the restructuring of the pardon committee, which considers political prisoners' cases. Although Amr was on this list, he was later removed; he is the only person to be taken off the list—and no explanation has been given as to why.
Following these releases, the pardon committee and others have promised further releases. Yet, unfortunately, these promises have not been implemented.
We have knocked on the doors of all legal, humanitarian, and political actors who might help to mediate and resolve the crisis of Egypt's political prisoners, especially those prisoners who, like Amr, are symbols of civic engagement known for their peaceful principles and ideas.
Though these efforts have already seen dozens of releases, securing peace and security for the families of detainees, hundreds of other human rights defenders remain in prison (even where, like Amr, their pretrial detention has surpassed the legal limit).
1,000 days of solitary confinement. We never imagined we would reach this number!
But sadly, we find ourselves marking 1,000 days. 1,000 days that a father has been absent from his only son at the most crucial stage of his life. 1,000 days away from a mother who grows older without her son by her side; 1,000 days of companionship stolen from his brothers and their children; 1,000 days Amr will never get back.
Amr, instead of being present in his profession, career, and with his friends, who loves life, singing, dancing, and the Zamalek club, has spent 1000 solitary days in a cell.
We knocked on the door of the Attorney General. We knocked on the door of the National Council for Human Rights. We knocked on the door of its President, Dr. Moshira Khattab.
We knocked on the doors of the members of the Presidential Amnesty Committee, of the members of the "National Dialogue Group," and we knocked on the doors of the members of the House of Representatives, especially those who know Amr personally.
Furthermore, we have knocked on the doors of anyone who mediates in crisis or seeks to close the dossier of political prisoners, and we will continue to knock on all doors. We will keep hope in our minds and hearts that Egyptian officials will end this injustice.
Before all doors, we will remain attached to the Gate of God, considering all the reasons and counting solely on him to end the catastrophe that has befallen our family and Amr for 1,000 days. This injustice will continue to exist every day until Amr's release.
Finally, we extend our gratitude to all professors, lawyers, and jurists interested in Amr's case and who have supported him in many ways. We are confident that the crisis will come to an end, and we believe in Amr's ability to overcome it and recover quickly from its effects
Thank you so much for your support and calls.
IMPORTANT UPDATE (Monday, July 18, 2022) :
We are happy to announce that the Egyptian lawyer Amr Imam has finally been released after spending 1004 days in pre-trial detention. Please see the original Facebook post below:
