Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered the detention of political activist Nael Hassan for 15 days pending investigation into charges of “promoting terrorist acts” and “spreading false news,” according to his lawyer, Mahienour El-Massry.
Hassan was detained Thursday at the National Security headquarters in Abis. Before appearing before prosecutors on Sunday, Hassan had been forcibly disappeared, according to human rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan who formally reported it to the First Attorney General in Alexandria.
Lawyers say Hassan was lured into the security premises by a ruse. According to El-Massry, received a call from someone claiming to be from the electricity inspectorate, alleging violations related to a utility meter not registered in his name. His family, relying on what they had been told, reassured him that the matter was minor.
El-Massry said that he had voluntarily gone to the National Security headquarters in Abis, Alexandria, on Thursday at 2 pm, but an arrest report was not filed until 10 p.m. the following day, more than 30 hours later. Lawyers had warned him it appeared to be what they called a security “trap.”
“Basically what they are telling us is ‘we don’t need to bother with formalities, we’ll just fabricate it to the end” she wrote on Facebook Sunday.
The Socialist Popular Alliance Party in Alexandria said it has followed with “shock and deep concern” Hassan’s detention and enforced disappearance.
“A member of Al-Dostour Party, who was once again brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution and made to pay, once more, with his freedom and life for his peaceful opinions and positions,” the Alliance said in a Sunday statement, demanding his release.
Hassan is a political activist, who was previously arrested in August last year from his home in Ismailiya. He later appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution and was released the same day.
He was also arrested during a 2017 security crackdown on activists and party members following protests against the Egypt–Saudi maritime border agreement over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir.
He was accused at the time of joining a terrorist organization, promoting extremist ideas online and in print, and communicating with entities linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, before being released in April 2018.
