Ahead of the Court of Cassation’s appeal hearing for Badr Mohamed, who has unjustly served a five-year prison sentence since he was 17 over the Ramsis Square protests of August 2013, Amnesty International calls for his immediate release. Souleimene Benghazi, the organization’s Egypt Campaigner, emphasizes that Badr’s conviction stemmed from a biased mass trial that denied him an adequate defense. Having spent five years behind bars by February, it’s time for authorities to end this injustice and reunite him with his family, including his wife, Elena, and daughter, Amina, whose birth he sadly missed.
Badr Mohamed is currently held in the notorious Badr 1 prison, where conditions are inhumane: cramped quarters, no bed, inadequate heating, and lack of clean water or health care. His situation mirrors the brutal crackdowns by Egyptian authorities against dissenters and critics, who face relentless reprisals. Amnesty International insists not only must Badr be freed, but thousands of others, including peaceful protesters and journalists, should also be released from arbitrary detention.
Badr was initially arrested during protests in August 2013 but was released on bail three months later. Following a grossly unfair mass trial in August 2017, he was sentenced in absentia to five years on charges tied to violence and illegal gatherings. He was arrested again in May 2020, retried, and ultimately convicted on the same charges on January 12, 2023, during a retrial that lacked due process before a terrorism circuit of the Cairo Criminal Court.
On January 28, 2025, the UN Human Rights Council reviewed Egypt’s human rights record, with several nations including Germany, Finland, and the UK urging the release of those detained for exercising their rights or for political reasons. Badr’s case is not an isolated incident, but a symbol of the broader, troubling trends in Egypt’s treatment of political dissenters and human rights advocates.
Badr Mohamed, unjustly sentenced to five years for the Ramsis Square protests, awaits an appeal at the Court of Cassation. Amnesty International insists on his immediate release, citing the unfair trial and inhumane prison conditions he faces. His case reflects the broader oppression of dissent in Egypt, with calls for the release of all arbitrarily detained individuals including peaceful activists and journalists.
The urgent call for justice in Badr Mohamed’s case highlights the pressing need for reform in Egypt’s treatment of dissenters. Amnesty International’s advocacy shines a light on the oppressive conditions faced by Badr and countless others unjustly imprisoned. To restore justice and uphold human rights, it is crucial that authorities act to release Badr and others imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights.
Original Source: www.amnesty.org
