Committee for Justice has documented the adjournment of the case of lawyer and human rights defender El-Sayed Saeed Khalaf and 116 others by the Second Circuit of Cairo Criminal Court during its session at Badr Prison. The case, known in the media as “Trial of 117 Defendants Accused of Belonging to an Armed Group Affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood,” is registered as Case No. 238/2021 (Supreme State Security) and listed under No. 18599/2024 (Nasr City First Criminal Court). The hearing was postponed to January 24, 2026, to ensure the presence of detainees and implement the previous decision allowing defense review and preparation for pleadings, as requested by the defense team.
The human rights lawyer Khalaf faces charges of joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes and methods for achieving those purposes.
Since his arrest on September 22, 2020, until his referral to trial in August 2025, Khalaf has been subjected to numerous violations, including trial before exceptional courts (Emergency State Security), enforced disappearance, “rotation” (recycling of charges), torture, arbitrary deprivation of liberty, and asset freezing.
Committee for Justice calls for his trial before a court that meets internationally recognized fair trial standards or his immediate release, as well as ensuring a safe environment for human rights defenders, including protection from threats and harassment by both official and non-official actors.
The Committee also demands an end to trials before exceptional jurisdictions and guarantees of the right to defense and legal representation before an independent and impartial judiciary. Committee for Justice stresses that defending human rights is not a crime but a moral and societal duty, and that the continued persecution of defenders threatens not only their safety but also the future of justice and freedom. Immediate action is required to stop these violations and ensure respect for rights and liberties.
