Hazem Hamouda remains detained in Egypt without lawful basis

Hazem Hamouda has been located and remains detained in Egypt after serious concerns were raised for his safety last week when the Egyptian authorities failed to produce Mr Hamouda for release.  Mr Hamouda has already been arbitrarily detained in Egypt for over a year.

Almost two weeks ago, his family were informed that the Prosecutor-General had ordered his release and that Mr Hamouda would be released at a particular police station in Cairo. However, when his local counsel and daughter arrived at the police station, Mr Hamouda was not produced. Despite requests for information made by his local counsel and the Australian government to the Egyptian authorities, no further information was forthcoming. He was considered to have been disappeared.

International legal counsel Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Jennifer Robinson filed an urgent appeal with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) and Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) on 20 February 2019, calling for information about Mr Hamouda’s whereabouts and for his immediate release.

For days, his family had the agonising wait to find out what had happened to him. Mr Hamouda was this week located in prison, having been interrogated by national security authorities. His family have been informed he is to be released, but his release date continues to be pushed back without any justification or explanation.

Counsel are also extremely concerned about the conditions of his ongoing detention, which underscore the urgency of this situation. Mr Hamouda is being held in a cell with no window, where he is 24 hours a day without any outdoor time and under fluorescent light. He has no facilities to keep or prepare food. Visitation is limited, which is particularly problematic given that Mr Hamouda is dependent on visitors for food.

Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Jennifer Robinson said:

“There is no lawful basis for Hazem’s ongoing detention. Egypt must release him immediately. He has already endured more than a year of unjust and arbitrary detention in breach of Egypt’s international obligations. The Australian government and the international community must pressure Egypt to ensure he is able to return to Australia and to his family forthwith.”

Lamisse Hamouda said:

"After we received the great news that dad would be released, we then had to suffer through an agonising ordeal being told he had disappeared again. It's painful and distressing waiting to try to find out where he is, and what's happening. Even though he's been found, it's offered little comfort as we are still in the dark as to when he will actually be released. We're thankful for the continued efforts of the Australian government and we will continue to fight to bring our dad home."