Eight UN Special Procedures Raise Serious Concerns Over Egypt’s Counter-Terrorism Practices Following Documented Cases Submitted by CFJ

Eight United Nations Special Procedures have formally transmitted an allegation letter to the Egyptian government, raising deep concern over a recurring pattern of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and the misuse of counter-terrorism legislation against at least fifteen individuals.

The communication (AL EGY 5/2025) follows verified information submitted by the Committee for Justice (CFJ) concerning Mostafa Gamal Awad El Sayed, Mohamed Osama Mohamed El Desouky Abu El Ata, and Abdelfatah Zaky Elbastawisy Elseidy, whose cases reflect the broader systemic violations highlighted by the UN mechanisms.

A Systemic Pattern of Violations

In their joint letter, the eight mandates — covering arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, counter-terrorism, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the independence of judges and lawyers, and the right to health — expressed serious concern regarding:

1. The repeated recycling of charges (“rotation”) to prolong detention beyond legal limits;
2. Enforced disappearances occurring immediately after court-ordered releases;
3. Torture and ill-treatment, including electric shocks, stress positions, beatings, and prolonged solitary confinement;
4. Systematic denial of fair-trial guarantees, including coerced confessions, falsified arrest dates, and the use of exceptional courts;
5. Denial of medical care, family visits, and basic necessities within detention facilities;
6. The use of vague counter-terrorism offences to target individuals engaged in peaceful expression, journalism, activism, or ordinary civic life.

The Special Procedures noted that many of these practices contravene Egypt’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention against Torture (CAT), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and other international standards.

Cases Submitted by CFJ Among Those Highlighted

CFJ’s contributions to the communication focused on three detailed submissions that examined the misuse of counter-terrorism legislation, patterns of enforced disappearance, and the situation inside places of detention — particularly Badr 3 Prison. These submissions offered documented evidence on how counter-terrorism provisions are systematically applied outside their legitimate scope, how enforced disappearance is used to conceal violations and interrupt due process, and how detention conditions in facilities such as Badr 3 amount to inhuman and degrading treatment.

The inclusion of these cases in the joint UN communication underscores how the findings documented by CFJ reflect a broader, systemic pattern identified by the Special Procedures — especially the use of abusive security frameworks to justify arbitrary detention, the concealment of detainees, and prolonged ill-treatment inside detention facilities.

UN Experts Call for Immediate Action

The mandates called on the Egyptian government to:

1. End “case recycling” and ensure compliance with the two-year statutory limit on pre-trial detention;
2. Investigate all allegations of enforced disappearance, torture, and ill-treatment;
3. Ensure access to legal representation, medical care, and family visits;
4. Review the listed cases urgently and provide remedies to victims;
5. Bring counter-terrorism legislation and practice into full conformity with international human rights obligations.

They further indicated their intention to make public statements should the government fail to respond promptly, citing the severity and persistence of the violations reported.