Ettehadiya detainees to remain in prison, trial adjourned to Oct 16
Sanaa Seif - Courtesy: Freedom for the Brave Facebook Page
 

Heliopolis Misdemeanor Court postponed the Ettehadiya Palace case on Saturday to October 16, extending the detention of 23 defendants, including human rights researcher Yara Sallam and activist Sanaa Seif.

The defendants, who were arrested near the Ettehadiya Presidential Palace while peacefully marching against the Protest Law on June 21, were crammed into a small detention room at the Tora Police Institute. The proceedings took place simultaneously with the Cabinet clashes case, but journalists were forbidden from attending the session.

A power cut in the room meant lawyers had to proceed with the defense using light from their mobile phones.

Defense lawyer Sameh Ashour requested suspension of the case, pending a ruling on the constitutionality of the Protest Law, and the exclusion of some of its articles.

Lawyer Tarek Abdel Aal slammed the detention of the defendants for four months without trial, which he said, “turns pre-trial detention into a form of punishment.”

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) demanded the release of all political detainees on its Twitter account, including their researcher Yara Sallam. The organization criticized the “long pre-trial detention, which has turned into unchecked punishment used against defendants who are supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

EIPR also demanded the suspension of the Protest Law, with guarantees against using pre-trial detention as punishment, as well as the provision of channels for grievance and compensation against judicial practices that infringe on the rights of defendants, as mandated by international law and the constitution.

Seif, 20, who is currently being held at Qanater women’s prison hospital, has been on hunger strike for 45 days, along with hundreds of other political detainees demanding the suspension of the Protest Law and the release of all those sentenced under its provisions.

She was arrested while demanding the release of her brother Alaa Abd El Fattah, who was arrested on charges relating to his involvement in a non-violent demonstration against the Protest Law in November.

On October 8, Seif’s sister, prominent human rights activist Mona Seif said that she had visited her sister and found that her weight had dropped to 46KG, while her blood sugar levels fluctuated between 60 by day and 43 by night. Despite her deteriorating health condition, Mona said Sanaa’s morals were high and better than on her previous visit.

This article has been modified to note that the trial has been postponed until October 16, not 18 as was mistakenly reported. 

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