Eleven human rights organizations have condemned the five-year prison sentence handed to economist and researcher Abdelkhalek Farouk, denouncing the ruling as politically motivated and legally baseless.
In a joint statement, the groups described the verdict as “unjust” and said the trial was marred by grave procedural violations.
Farouk was convicted of “spreading false news that could disturb public peace and harm national interests,” a charge the rights groups say was rooted in his writings and public commentary on Egypt’s economic policies.
“What Farouk expressed falls within the public's right to information and accountability,” the statement said, stressing that his arrest and prosecution were based on fabricated charges.
Farouk was earlier arrested in October 2024 from his home. Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution charged him with joining and financing a terrorist group, and with disseminating false news.
The organizations said the charges stem from nearly 40 articles he published criticizing the government’s economic strategy and the policies of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Throughout his detention, Farouk raised alarm over what he described as “life-threatening” prison conditions. He told the court he was denied access to medical treatment and sunlight, and held in a cell locked for 23 hours a day—conditions he said violated international standards for humane treatment, including the right to health, dignity, and life.
On Sept. 25, 2025, Farouk's legal team was caught off guard when the case was suddenly referred to a misdemeanor court in Shorouk without prior notice. The trial began without giving the defense time to prepare, in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the groups said.
At the second hearing on Oct. 2, the defense requested more time to review case documents and filed a motion for release. The court allowed the prosecution to present arguments but denied the defense the chance to respond.
The court issued its sentence on Oct. 4 in a closed session, announcing Farouk’s five-year prison term without public proceedings—another breach of fair trial guarantees, the rights groups argued. An appeal hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
The statement said the ruling is part of a broader crackdown on critical voices, recalling Farouk’s previous arrest in 2018 after the publication of his book “Is Egypt Really a Poor Country?,” which was confiscated. He was released days later but faced similar accusations.
The rights groups said Farouk’s conviction violates Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression. They called for his immediate and unconditional release, access to medical care, and an end to reprisals against researchers and public intellectuals.
Signatories of the statement include: EgyptWide for Human Rights, Egyptian Front for Human Rights, Committee for Justice, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, El Nadeem Center, Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, the Egyptian Human Rights Forum, Refugees Platform in Egypt, Law and Democracy Support Foundation, and Sinai Foundation for Human Rights.
