Committee for Justice has documented an appeal by Dr. Wafaa Hefny, Professor of English Literature at Cairo University and mother of translator and human rights defender Marwa Arafa, during an interview with Fakker Tany website, calling on the President to release her only daughter — not only due to her deteriorating health but also so she can care for her autistic child. She stressed that she will not stop sending pleas and appeals to save her daughter.
Dr. Hefny revealed that Marwa had been assaulted and beaten by criminal inmates under the direction and approval of a prison officer, demanding the separation of prisoners of conscience from criminal detainees.
On October 18, during the second session of her trial, the defense insisted on checking her condition. Marwa appeared before the judge in severe distress and requested to speak to the court, stating that her blood pressure was 200/120 and that she had not been examined by a specialist doctor nor allowed to undergo a Doppler scan or cardiac examination. She also reported being denied basic rights guaranteed under prison regulations, including daily exercise, despite a previous medical recommendation for twice-daily exercise to prevent recurrence of a previous stroke.
Marwa Ashraf Mohamed Mohamed Arafa, a 31-year-old translator and social and human rights activist, resides in Nasr City, Cairo. She is married to writer Tamer Mowafi and has a young daughter. Marwa became known for providing humanitarian support to families who lost their breadwinners due to arbitrary detention. She actively offered legal, charitable, and social assistance to families of women debtors, pretrial detainees, and political prisoners, helping them prepare prison visits and providing moral and material support as part of voluntary civil society work in Egypt.
She also assisted displaced Christian families from Arish after ISIS threats in 2017 and supported women debtors in prison. Despite her charitable and rights-based activities, Marwa had no political affiliations. Although she is a great-granddaughter of Hassan Al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, her family never imposed any ideology on her. Marwa pursued community activism out of personal conviction, focusing on humanitarian and volunteer work.
Her husband stated: “She has always cared about helping people in difficult circumstances. She did it on her own, not as part of any group. She helped regardless of their background or political beliefs — even before the revolution.”
Marwa also played a role in child protection advocacy, participating in conferences supporting detained minors and raising awareness about their rights under Egyptian law. She coordinated the “Children’s Freedom Campaign” in 2015.
However, these civil society activities were not tolerated by Egyptian security authorities. On April 20, 2020, security forces raided her home for the first time, terrorizing her infant daughter and younger sister, confiscating phones and electronic devices, and taking Marwa to an undisclosed location. Her husband reported that police denied her presence at Nasr City police stations. Marwa was forcibly disappeared for 14 days, during which her family sent telegrams to the Public Prosecutor and Minister of Interior demanding disclosure of her whereabouts.
On April 29, 2020, Human Rights Watch called on Egyptian authorities to release Marwa Arafa, stating that she had been arrested and her location remained unknown. On May 4, 2020, Marwa appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution in Case No. 570/2020, facing charges of committing a terrorist financing crime and joining a terrorist group, and was ordered into 15-day pretrial detention.
Her husband commented: “After 14 days of enforced disappearance, Marwa finally appeared before the prosecution. The charges are absurd and repetitive. The prosecution ordered 15 days of pretrial detention — the start of an endless cycle of arbitrary renewals.”
Marwa denied all charges, explaining that her assistance was humanitarian, such as providing Ramadan food packages, Eid meat, school clothes, and medicine to families of detainees.
She endured harsh treatment and poor detention conditions, leading to severe health deterioration, pneumonia, and esophageal reflux without specialist care. She was deliberately placed with criminal inmates in a drug ward, subjected to extortion, forced labor, and continuous smoking exposure, with prison officers inciting hostility against her.
Her mother reported that visits were limited to 20 minutes once a month. During isolation, Marwa dedicated herself to studying law and completed three semesters at the Open University. Meanwhile, her daughter exhibited behavioral disorders and was diagnosed with autism and speech difficulties due to forced separation from her mother.
Despite repeated legal requests for release based on lack of evidence and her child’s special needs, all were rejected. On April 14, 2021, activists and civil society organizations launched a campaign under the hashtag #FreeMarwaArafa, which gained wide support but was ignored by authorities.
In May 2022, activist Marwa Arafa completed two years in pretrial detention and remains detained to this day, exceeding the maximum period allowed by law. Civil society organizations have repeatedly called for her release in compliance with the law, yet the Cairo Criminal Court continued to renew her detention despite surpassing the two-year legal limit.
Her husband, writer Tamer Mowafi, appealed to the authorities for her release, saying:
“Isn’t this enough? More than two years in pretrial detention. More than two years of our daughter, Wafaa, growing up away from her mother’s embrace. More than two years of deprivation for a mother, sisters, friends, and countless people who relied on her kindness and support. And above all, more than two years of the best years of a young woman’s life — not even 30 yet — wasted in cells, humiliation, and deprivation of basic life necessities. Free Marwa. Let her return to her life, her daughter, and everyone who needs her.”
By May 2023, Marwa had exceeded the maximum legal limit for pretrial detention, completing three years behind bars away from her child. Despite this, the Cairo Criminal Court continued to renew her detention, keeping her in custody unlawfully.
The Campaign to Free Marwa Arafa urged everyone to remember her case, demand her release, and speak out about her situation — and to end the suffering of her young daughter, who had not yet turned three and spent more than half her life separated from her mother.
In October 2023, Wafaa Hefny, mother of Marwa Arafa, issued a humanitarian appeal for her daughter’s release, who remains in pretrial detention for the fourth consecutive year at “Rehabilitation 4” Prison in Al-Ashir Min Ramadan, Al-Sharqia Governorate. She reported that Marwa’s health had deteriorated severely after suffering continuous internal bleeding for months, requiring urgent medical care unavailable in the prison hospital.
On September 9, 2024, Marwa’s request to sit for postgraduate exams was rejected for the second time, in violation of Article 31 of the Egyptian Prison Regulations, despite having earned her law degree during detention. Last year, she enrolled in a Public Law diploma program, and her family submitted requests to allow her to take exams, but the Prison Authority refused, citing an alleged “decision” to suspend postgraduate exams for detainees. This year, the university refused to register her altogether, claiming “orders” prohibit enrolling detainees in postgraduate programs unless official clearance is obtained from the prosecution or prison authority — which was also denied.
On September 21, 2024, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression submitted a petition (No. 60036/2024) to the Public Prosecutor demanding Marwa’s mandatory release under Article 143 of the Criminal Procedure Code, after exceeding the legal pretrial detention limit in Case No. 570/2020 (Supreme State Security), under which she has been held since April 2020.
On December 12, 2024, Marwa’s health worsened further, as she suffered continuous bleeding for months without receiving adequate medical care. On January 2, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution referred Marwa Arafa to trial in Case No. 570/2020 on charges including joining a terrorist group and committing a terrorist financing crime.
Committee for Justice documented her mother’s statement on November 16, 2025, reporting Marwa’s severe deterioration, inability to move independently, and difficulty breathing. During a visit, her mother revealed that Marwa had suffered a pulmonary artery thrombosis on August 13, 2025, along with high fever, low hemoglobin, and numbness in her upper body. After one night in the prison hospital without proper treatment, she was returned to her cell. Her mother requested permission to provide medication and a blood pressure and oxygen monitor.
On August 23, lawyer Islam Salama reported that Al-Ashir Min Ramadan Women’s Prison refused to allow him to visit his client Marwa Arafa despite having an official permit issued by the Appeals Prosecution.
Marwa Arafa has now spent five years and seven months in pretrial detention in violation of Egyptian law, far beyond the two-year maximum allowed. She remains behind bars, separated from her family and her six-year-old daughter Wafaa, who has never experienced a warm moment with her mother since April 2020.
Marwa has endured numerous violations during her detention, including enforced disappearance, deliberate medical neglect, poor detention conditions, denial of visits, arbitrary pretrial detention, and unlawful deprivation of liberty. She has been held in multiple locations, including National Security headquarters in Nasr City, police stations in Fifth Settlement and Dokki, Nasr City First Police Station, Qanater Women’s Prison, and Al-Ashir Min Ramadan Women’s Prison.
Advocacy Background
- July 12, 2023: Committee for Justice condemned the prolonged pretrial detention of Marwa Arafa, in violation of Egyptian law, and called for her immediate release and an end to the use of pretrial detention as punishment against human rights defenders.
- August 18, 2023: The Committee stressed the need for authorities to respect constitutional and legal provisions, warning that breaking these rules undermines the rule of law. It demanded Marwa’s release or trial before a court meeting international fair trial standards.
- September 27, 2023: Renewed calls for Marwa’s immediate release and an end to punitive pretrial detention.
- October 30, 2023: Expressed solidarity with Marwa’s mother’s appeal and urged authorities to respect the law and consider Marwa’s dire humanitarian circumstances.
- September 12, 2024: Rejected arbitrary measures against Marwa Arafa, demanding compliance with Article 31 of the Prison Regulations guaranteeing detainees’ right to education and exams.
- April 25, 2025: Strongly opposed Marwa’s referral to trial after four years of pretrial detention, two of which were unlawful under Egyptian law, and demanded her immediate release.
- August 22, 2025: Held the Ministry of Interior, Prison Authority, and Public Prosecution fully responsible for Marwa’s deteriorating health, calling for urgent medical care and her release.
- August 28, 2025: Condemned denial of lawyer visits in violation of Article 39 of the Prison Regulations and reiterated calls for Marwa’s release and respect for legal guarantees.
Committee for Justice urges Egyptian authorities to immediately release Marwa Arafa, provide urgent medical care, and end the systematic use of pretrial detention as a weapon against human rights defenders.
