Signatories call for an end to the use of pretrial detention as a punishment for exercising freedom of opinion and expression
Concerns about Ismail Alexandrani’s health due to his reliance on a ventilator, without which he cannot sleep. We hold the Egyptian authorities accountable for his safety.
The undersigned human rights organizations condemn and reject the decision by the Supreme State Security Prosecution to detain researcher Ismail Alexandrani for 15 days pending investigation. Alexandrani was stopped at a Marsa Matrouh checkpoint while returning from Siwa, during which all contact with him was cut off for more than 12 hours. He was then transferred to Cairo and brought before the State Security Prosecution, which interrogated him for hours before issuing its detention order.
According to Alexandrani’s defense team, his arrest was carried out pursuant to a warrant, and the prosecution subsequently added him to Case No. 6469 of 2025 on charges of “spreading false news,” “joining a terrorist group,” and “using a website to promote terrorist ideas.” During interrogation, he was presented with 18 posts from his personal Facebook account, which he admitted to authoring but maintained contained no false information or rumors, only his personal opinions. He also affirmed that he is not affiliated with any political group, party, or organization. The arrest and detention of Alexandrani took place just two days after the last presidential pardon, an event some viewed as a sign of de-escalation and a potential step toward addressing the crisis of political imprisonment. Alexandrani’s detention, however, reflects a continuation of repressive policies and signals that the public sphere remains closed, with any independent voice or opinion remaining vulnerable to targeting.
The signatory organizations stress that Ismail Alexandrani has already spent a full seven years in prison because of his research and journalistic work, and that his release at the end of 2022 should have marked the end of his ordeal, not the beginning of a new cycle of imprisonment and harassment. Moreover, given the deterioration of his health, according to his lawyers, and his reliance on a ventilator, his continued detention poses a direct threat to his life, especially since he has been deprived of the medical mask necessary to operate his device.
The ongoing policy of arbitrary pretrial detention against journalists, researchers, and political opponents not only constitutes a grave violation of individual rights and freedoms but also erodes trust in any genuine reform steps towards ending years of unjustified imprisonment and closing the file of pretrial detention in freedom of expression cases. It further entrenches a climate of fear and self-censorship, sending a clear message to society that expressing one’s opinion, even when balanced and objective, may still lead to imprisonment.
The undersigned organizations warn that continuing to persecute voices of opinion will not succeed in silencing independent expression; instead, it will only deepen Egypt’s political and human rights crisis. Such practices render any claims of openness or political dialogue meaningless, as the absence of freedoms does not create stability but rather fuels anger and traps society into a cycle of repression and political imprisonment, rather than paving the way for genuine reform.
The undersigned organizations, therefore, call for the immediate and unconditional release of Ismail Alexandrani, the dropping of all charges against him, and the guarantee of urgent medical care, including the prompt restoration of his ventilator until his release. They further urge an end to the use of pretrial detention as a tool of punishment against journalists, researchers, and political activists, and call for serious and transparent steps to open the public sphere and safeguard the right to free expression without fear of imprisonment, repression, or harassment.
Singatories:
Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF)
EgyptWide for Human Rights
El Nadeem Center
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR)
Committee for Justice (CFJ)
Saif Law Foundation
Egyptian Human Rights Forum (EHRF)
Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF)
Sinai Foundation for Human Rights
Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP)
Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC)
While I utterly condemn the serious situation described, lets inject a touch of dark humor: Ismail Alexandranis Facebook posts must have been *really* controversial – probably started World War III or at least caused his ventilator to malfunction with sheer outrage. And what timing! Two days after a pardon, the ultimate political gotcha move. Egypts public sphere is apparently a delicate ecosystem, easily disrupted by opinions stronger than a cactus. One wonders if his seven years were a mandatory cooling off period for researchers. On a more serious note, detaining a person on a ventilator for expressing opinions is like punishing a fish for breathing water – a bit excessive, wouldnt you say?
While I fully support the immediate release of Ismail Alexandrani and the dropping of these baseless charges – especially considering his apparent reliance on a ventilator for basic life functions – the timing here is just *too* deliciously ironic. Detaining someone for spreading false news while presenting their Facebook posts as evidence is like suing someone for selling fake currency using real money. The fact his health is now supposedly at risk due to lack of medical equipment adds a wonderfully cynical twist to the whole affair.
Its a masterclass in how to make freedom of expression look like an endangered species, all while claiming to be on the path to reform (post-pardon, mind you). One must admire the sheer chutzpah. Lets hope the authorities get the message: targeting ventilator-dependent opinionators doesnt exactly set the world on fire.
Its fascinating how they spin spreading false news as a serious charge these days. Next, theyll probably be arresting people for having unauthorized opinions! Honestly, the ventilation mask situation is the real crisis here – you cant even get proper airflow in prison these days. Sounds like someone needs to start a VentilatorSolidarity movement. But seriously, the cycle needs to stop; keeping researchers on life support with legal charges feels a bit much. Lets hope the call for an open public sphere gains some actual airtime, rather than just being another post in a never-ending cycle of online activism.