The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the continued enforced disappearance of political detainee Ahmed Tarek Araban for over a month under case number 15, raising growing concerns about his life and well-being.
Egyptian authorities have kept the political detainee, Ahmed Tarek Araban (32 years old), forcibly disappeared for twenty-nine consecutive days, in violation of a court decision ordering his release in case number 15 — a case he had been repeatedly referred to as part of a cycle of abusive and arbitrary procedures that have targeted him since his arrest more than three years ago.
It is worth noting that Araban was initially arrested on December 15, 2021, as part of an apparent policy of intimidation and blackmail targeting members of his family — particularly after intensified security campaigns against his father, the political opposition figure Tarek Araban. At the time, security agencies reportedly conveyed a clear message to other detainees: “Turn yourself in, and we will release Ahmed.”
Despite his father surrendering to authorities following forced deportation from Malaysia about a year later, Ahmed’s release did not follow. Instead, his arbitrary detention continued, and he was successively referred to multiple cases — now totaling fifteen — all based on identical charges.
It is further noted that Ahmed was previously subjected to several periods of enforced disappearance at a site known as “Al-Fila,” a covert detention center operated by the National Security Agency in Shubra El-Kheima. This facility is among unofficial detention locations used to hold hundreds of detainees outside judicial oversight and without the knowledge of their families or lawyers, where they are routinely subjected to various forms of physical and psychological torture.
For its part, the CFJ holds Egyptian authorities fully responsible for the life and safety of political detainee Ahmed Tarek Araban, and demands immediate disclosure of his whereabouts and unconditional release, in accordance with successive judicial decisions affirming his right to be freed, and in compliance with the law and due process.
The CFJ also urges the initiation of investigations into the violations committed against Ahmed, identifying those responsible, and ensuring they are held accountable and prevented from evading justice.
