Amnesty demands release of Gaza solidarity activists detained in Egypt
Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that foreign nationals wishing to access areas near the Gaza border must obtain prior approval by submitting requests through Egyptian embassies.
Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of several individuals detained for expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, including support for the recent Gaza March, amid Israel's ongoing military campaign.
The organisation, in a statement on Tuesday, also urged authorities to investigate reports of torture linked to the arrests and deportations of international activists involved in the planned solidarity march.
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On June 11, Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that foreign nationals wishing to access areas near the Gaza border must obtain prior approval by submitting requests through Egyptian embassies.
According to organisers of the Gaza March, they filed the requests with over 30 Egyptian embassies worldwide roughly two and a half months before the planned event. Embassy staff also confirmed that the applications had been forwarded to authorities in Cairo, but no official response was ever provided.
When participants began arriving, Egyptian security forces moved to block the march, detaining both Egyptian and international activists.
They were reportedly held in incommunicado detention at undisclosed National Security Agency (NSA) facilities for periods ranging from nine to ten days. Hundreds of foreign nationals were later deported.
Some of the arrested individuals were later taken to court and slapped with charges of allegedly joining and funding a terrorist group and publishing false news.
"Hundreds of international activists travelled to Egypt in June to take part in a global march to the city of Rafah in a bid to break Israel's illegal blockade on the occupied Gaza Strip, but Egyptian authorities responded by arresting scores of Egyptian and foreign nationals and deporting non-Egyptians," Amnesty said.
"Amnesty International documented the arbitrary detention, incommunicado detention, and ill-treatment of three Egyptians and five foreign nationals in connection with the Gaza March between 10 and 16 June. Amnesty obtained a testimony that at least one Egyptian national was subjected to torture during their detention."
According to Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt and Libya Researcher at Amnesty International, the arbitrary arrests and torture the activists have been subjected to represent just a fraction of the ongoing repression faced by individuals who express views not condoned by the Egyptian government.
"It is unthinkable that Egyptian authorities are arresting and punishing activists for showing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza while Israel is committing genocide against them," he said.
"Egypt's authorities should instead be facilitating the right to peaceful assembly and expression, starting by releasing anyone arbitrarily detained for demonstrating in solidarity with Palestinians and investigating all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment."
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