The authorities must take full responsibility for his safety and well-being and end the use of pretrial detention as a tool to silence dissenting voices.
Berlin, February 25, 2025
Amid labor activist Shady Mohamed’s ongoing hunger strike and growing concerns about his health following his transfer to the prison hospital, the Law and Democracy Support foundation calls for his immediate and unconditional release. The organization also holds the Egyptian authorities fully responsible for his life and the deterioration of his health due to his hunger strike, which he initiated in protest against his transfer from Al-Ashir Prison to Borg El-Arab Prison.
On January 29, 2025, Shady Mohamed declared his hunger strike. His wife submitted an online complaint to the Public Prosecutor on February 5, which was registered under No. 1102820, protesting his transfer from Al-Ashir 6 Prison in 10th of Ramadan City to Borg El-Arab 2 Prison in Alexandria without justification, along with the confiscation of his personal belongings.
During his pretrial detention renewal session at Badr Prison Criminal Court on February 18, 2025, which was held remotely, Shady was absent without any explanation from the Borg El-Arab Prison administration or the court. According to his wife, he had been transferred from his cell to the prison hospital, raising further concerns about his condition.
It is worth noting that Shady Mohamed is a labor leader, a founding member of the Permanent Conference of Alexandria Workers, and a member of the Popular Committee to Support the Palestinian People. He is also a leader in the Independent Union of Workers at Lenin Group for Textiles and Furnishings.
Shady Mohamed was arrested on April 29, 2024, in front of his home in Alexandria for raising a banner in solidarity with Palestine. He later appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution in Case No. 1644 of 2024, where he was charged with “joining a terrorist group, spreading false information, and participating in an unauthorized gathering.” Since then, he has remained in pretrial detention under successive extension orders.
Law and Democracy Support foundation expresses deep concern for the activist’s safety and calls on the authorities to disclose his whereabouts, clarify the reasons for his absence from his detention renewal session, and release him immediately. It also urges an end to his prosecution before the State Security Prosecution, which should be limited to handling serious security-related cases and should not have jurisdiction over cases related to freedom of expression.
The organization further emphasizes the need for the authorities to release all prisoners of conscience and to put an end to the use of pretrial detention, legal persecution, and security harassment as tools to silence dissidents, activists, and human rights defenders exercising their right to peaceful expression.
