At least 15 Egyptian children, some as young as 12, were arrested and forcibly disappeared over their use of the online game PUBG, according to 14 human rights groups. The children now face terrorism charges, despite what advocates call a complete lack of evidence.
Among the documented cases is Mohamed Emad, a 17-year-old dual US-Egyptian citizen, who was arrested in August 2024 while visiting family in Egypt for summer vacation.
His family reports he had been playing PUBG when individuals contacted him through the game, offering in-game incentives to post content on his social media accounts. Police later raided his mother’s home, confiscated electronic devices, and disappeared him for 10 days.
Emad, who suffers from severe asthma, was denied access to proper medical care and prevented from graduating from high school in the United States. He is currently held in Banha Police Station alongside adult detainees.
In a joint statement, rights groups said that all 15 children, aged between 12 and 17, were arrested without warrants, subjected to enforced disappearances ranging from several days to months, and denied access to lawyers or contact with their families. Some children were reportedly subjected to torture, abuse, and medical neglect.
Thirteen of the children remain in detention, including some held in adult facilities in violation of Article 112 of Egypt’s Child Law, which prohibits detaining minors with adults.
Egyptian authorities claim the children were involved in online communication groups within PUBG and were promised virtual rewards in exchange for sharing social media content, according to the joint statement. The state’s position accuses these groups of links to extremist networks and allege the children belong to a terrorist organization.
However, the rights groups dispute these claims, saying no evidence has been presented to justify the terrorism charges. In many cases, the children have not been brought before a judge for detention renewal hearings.
The organizations warned that the practice of luring minors via online games and using that engagement as grounds for criminal prosecution constitutes a serious abuse of power and a dangerous precedent.
They urged the unconditional release of all detained children, a transparent investigation into the documented violations, and accountability for those responsible.
The joint statement was issued Saturday and endorsed by 14 human rights organizations, including the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, Sinai Foundation for Human Rights, and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).
