The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has strongly condemned the ongoing systematic targeting of student leader Moaz El-Sharkawy (31 years old), calling on Egyptian authorities to immediately release him in light of the grave violations he has endured for years, including enforced disappearance, torture, and the deprivation of his basic legal rights, as well as being tried repeatedly on the same charges — a blatant violation of Egyptian legal texts.
El-Sharkawy was arrested for the second time in May 2023 and remained forcibly disappeared for over three weeks before being referred to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on June 3, 2024. During the interrogation session, his lawyer was prevented from attending or reviewing the grounds and evidence of the charges, and was denied the right to challenge pre-trial detention orders — repeated violations that highlight the total absence of judicial oversight on arrest procedures.
Currently, El-Sharkawy faces identical charges across three separate cases, all largely revolving around “joining the Muslim Brotherhood group,” despite the legal prohibition on trying a person more than once on the same charges after acquittal or conviction. He was referred to trial in the latest case without any actual investigation conducted against him, as prosecutors merely reused statements taken from a previous case in which he is also accused of similar charges — a clear repetition of accusations that violates the right to a fair trial. To date, no trial date has been set for this case, even though his referral was announced more than a month ago.
In another case (Case No. 1059/2021), El-Sharkawy is serving a non-appealable ten-year prison sentence, while he awaits a potential life sentence in a third case (Case No. 13330/2023) scheduled to be decided by the Third Circuit Criminal Court on June 24, 2024, on charges including “joining a terrorist group,” “financing terrorism,” and using the WhatsApp application to commit acts of terrorism.
The CFJ strongly condemns the unlawful continuation of El-Sharkawy’s detention and the repetition of legal proceedings against him in such illegal ways. The committee calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release him without conditions, launch an independent and prompt investigation into all violations he has faced — including torture, enforced disappearance, and the denial of his right to legal defense — hold the perpetrators accountable, and ensure they are not allowed to escape justice. The CFJ further demands the dismissal of all charges filed against him that contravene legal provisions.
The CFJ also affirms that Egypt must abide by the international human rights treaties it has ratified and respect the principles of fair trial and the right to defense.
