Press release
Geneva – May 28, 2024
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored the arrest of political activist and former presidential candidate Ahmed Tantawi by Egyptian security forces from inside the courtroom. This occurred during the hearing of his appeal against a one-year prison sentence, which was also handed to his campaign manager, Mohamed Abou El-Diyar.
On Monday, May 27, the Misdemeanor Appeals Court in Matariya, East Cairo, upheld the original sentences against Tantawi, his campaign manager, and several of his campaign members in the “Popular Delegations” case.
Immediately following the ruling, security forces detained Tantawi in the courtroom to enforce the sentence.
In February, the Misdemeanor Court in Matariya sentenced Tantawi to one year in prison and fined him 20,000 Egyptian pounds to suspend the execution pending the appeal. The verdict also included a five-year ban on running for parliamentary elections. Additionally, his campaign manager received a one-year prison sentence and a 20,000 Egyptian pound fine in absentia. Twenty other supporters and campaign members were also sentenced to one year of hard labor.
CFJ has condemned these verdicts, calling for their suspension and for Tantawi and his campaign members to be retried in a court that meets internationally recognized standards of fair trial. CFJ also urged Egyptian authorities to cease using the judiciary to target political opponents and to keep the judiciary free from political conflicts.
