The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored that on Tuesday, July 30th, Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution referred lawyer and human rights defender Walid Ali Selim Mohamed to the Cairo Appeals Criminal Court, along with 116 others, in connection with Case No. 1175 of 2018 under the jurisdiction of the Supreme State Security.
The prosecution’s referral order calls for the punishment of Selim and the other defendants for alleged crimes, including joining a terrorist group with the aim of disrupting the constitution and laws, preventing state institutions and public authorities from performing their duties, committing acts of terrorist financing, and possessing publications and recordings promoting the group’s objectives.
Selim was arrested on October 23, 2018, from a street in Alexandria and has since faced accusations in 12 different cases. UN special rapporteurs, including the rapporteur on human rights defenders, have called for his release.
CFJ opposes Selim’s referral for trial on new charges and urges Egyptian authorities to release him immediately and cease using pretrial detention as a weapon against human rights defenders. CFJ also insists that if he is to be tried, it must be in accordance with internationally recognized standards of fair trial, which are not currently met in the State Security Courts, as these are inherently exceptional courts.
