Coptic activist’s detention extended yet again

The 3^rd chamber of the counter terrorism court in Cairo renewed the detention of Egyptian Coptic activist Rami Kamil for a further 45 days after a trial on 6 September. Mr Kamil has been detained since November 2019, and his detention has been extended on numerous occasions over the past 22 months.

Mr Kamil is a prominent human rights activist and a founding member and coordinator of the Maspero Youth Union, a Coptic human rights group that emerged following the Maspero massacre of October 2011, in which over 20 Coptic protesters were killed when the military attacked a peaceful civil rights protest.

It is widely believed Mr Kamil was targeted because of his human rights work documenting violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief. He is currently facing terrorism-related charges.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: “For nearly two years the Egyptian authorities have continually extended Mr Kamil’s detention, seemingly in an effort to penalise him for his work as a human rights defender. We call once again for his immediate and unconditional release, and for the release of other human rights defenders who have been subjected to excessive pretrial detention on questionable charges. We also urge the Egyptian government to investigate all cases of wrongful imprisonment, and to create an enabling environment for the peaceful promotion and protection of human rights.”