Press release
Geneva – March 4, 2024
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the plight of Oqba Alaa Labib Hashad, an Egyptian citizen with disabilities, who has endured prolonged detention and instances of recycled imprisonment due to his brother’s human rights activism.
Oqba’s initial arrest in 2019 was directly linked to the activism of his brother, Amr Alaa Labib Hashad, an Egyptian lawyer and human rights defender residing abroad. Previously incarcerated for five years for his involvement in student protests following the 2013 overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, Oqba’s brother had become a vocal advocate against human rights abuses within Egyptian detention facilities.
During nearly three months of enforced disappearance from May 20, 2019, to August 4, 2019, Oqba was subjected to horrific physical and psychological torture, including being stripped naked, hung from the ceiling, beaten, verbally insulted, and electrocuted. The brutality aimed at forcing false confessions from him was compounded by threats against his family.
Upon his reappearance before the Shebin al-Kom prosecution on August 4, 2019, in connection with the “Ashmoun case,” Oqba’s ordeal continued. Despite detailing the torture during enforced disappearance, the prosecutor overlooked these atrocities, pushing forward with charges related to banned group affiliation and participation in demonstrations.
In a shocking turn of events in January 2021, following the release of a human rights report by Amr Hashad, the head of the prison investigation retaliated against Oqba. He ordered the removal of Oqba’s prosthetic limb, depriving him of basic human rights during detention. The prosthetic limb was later returned in a deteriorated state, requiring regular maintenance. In August 2022, the prosthesis suffered a fracture, leading to further mistreatment by prison authorities.
Despite obtaining a release decision on February 21, 2024, Oqba’s situation took a dark turn. The Ashmoun police station denied his presence, and his family, after gaining entry for a visit, found him missing. Oqba’s forced disappearance persisted until he was presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on March 3, 2024, in a new case.
CFJ asserts that Oqba’s detention is arbitrary, violating international standards, including Category I of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The Committee calls on the UN Working Group to rectify the situation, ensuring Oqba’s immediate release, and pressing the Egyptian authorities to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.
CFJ vehemently urges the Egyptian authorities to respect judiciary decisions, cease exploiting legal loopholes for prolonged detention, and immediately release Oqba. The Committee implores an end to targeting Oqba due to his brother’s human rights work, emphasizing the need to safeguard the families of human rights defenders, providing a secure environment for their peaceful advocacy.
