Egypt: Amnesty urges release of detained activist Hisham Kassem

Amnesty International urged Egypt on Thursday to immediately release a prominent opposition figure who has been arbitrarily detained for almost a month.

Activist and publisher Hisham Kassem was apprehended on 20 August on defamation and verbal assault charges, and has been in prison since.

According to the rights watchdog, Kassem criticised a former government minister online, accusing him of corruption. The minister, Kamal Abu-Eita, went on to press charges against Kassem, accusing him of defamation.

The activist, whose verdict is expected on 16 September, said in a post explaining his reason not to post bail that he is also facing charges of "insulting and disturbing public officials".

In his post, Kassem declared that he was "more honourable than President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and all his men.".

Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Research and Advocacy Director for the MENA region, said: "The prosecution of Hisham Kassem for simply posting critical messages online is a signal that the Egyptian authorities’ relentless campaign to silence peaceful critics and punish dissent, including through the use of criminal defamation and other draconian laws, is continuing in full force."

Luther stressed that criticising the government and public officials is "a human right" and that the 64-year-old must be "immediately and unconditionally released", adding that any charges brought against him should be dropped.

Amnesty added that authorities in Cairo have "violated" Kassem’s fair trial rights, including his right to adequate defence and to a public hearing. His lawyers were reportedly barred from accessing his case file, while the media and diplomats were prohibited from attending his trial.

Kassem is the leader of al-Tayar al-Hurr, a coalition group of liberal parties and politicians formed in June this year in opposition to Sisi’s government, according to Reuters.

The activist has also spoken against the Egyptian government’s handling of the economy, as well as the military’s role in the North African country.

Kassem’s detention came amid Egypt's releasing of a number of prominent activists, including human rights researcher Patrick Zaki and his lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer in July, and Ahmed Douma who had been imprisoned for 10 years.

Egypt has carried out a brutal crackdown on opposition activists, journalists and members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the past decade. Rights groups estimate that at least 60,000 political prisoners remain behind bars in the country, where they are faced with abuse, torture and a lack of basic necessities.

The US, among other Western countries, has repeatedly criticised Egypt’s human rights record in recent years.

If convicted, Kassem could face up to three years in prison, his lawyers said.