201/97 : Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights / Egypt
Summary of Facts
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1. On June 17 1997, a State Security Investigation force arrested eight people for peacefully
opposing the implementation of Law 96 of 1992, which regulates the relation between landowners and
tenants of agricultural land. The individuals arrested were Hamdien Sabbahi, a journalist; Mohamed
Abdu, a veterinarian; Mohamed Soliman Fayad and Harudi Heikal, lawyers; Mahmoud Soliman AbuRayya, Mahmoud Al-Sayid Abu-Rayya and Sabe Hamid Ibrahim, farmers; and Al-Tokhi Ahmed AlTokhi, who was taken hostage pending the surrender of his brother to the authorities.
2. Mahmoud Soliman Abu-Rayya, Mahmoud Al-Sayid Abu-Rayya and Sabe Hamid Ibrahim were
arrested for hanging black banners on their houses in protest of Law 96. Mohamed Abdu, Mohamed
Soliman Fayad and Harudi Heikal were arrested shortly after participating in a rally held in Banha to
protest Law 96.
3. Hamdien Sabbahi was apparently arrested for promoting a signature petition meant to be sent to
the President in protest of Law 96.
4. When the SSI force arrested Hamdien Sabbahi, they broke into his office, searched it, and
confiscated some documents. The arrest and search were carried out without a warrant or the
presence of a public prosecution representative, which contradicts state law.
5. Hamdien Sabbahi, Mohamed Abdu, Mohamed Soliman Fayad and Harudi Heikal have all been
charged with violations of Article 86 (bis) and 86 (bis) (A) of the Penal Code introduced as part of an
anti-terrorist law. Specifically, these individuals were charged with:
1. Promoting – orally – ideas that oppose the basic foundations of the present regime and inciting
hatred and contempt against it; encouraging the breakdown of the constitutional principles;
opposing the implementation of laws and promoting resistance against the authorities (including
terrorist activities); and
2. Possession of printed materials and publications that encourage the aforementioned ideas.
6. It is not clear that Mahmoud Soliman Abu-Rayya, Mahmoud Al-Sayid Abu-Rayya and Sabe Hamid
Ibrahim have been charged with any crime yet.
7. Following the imprisonment of Hamdien Sabbahi, Mohamed Abdu, Mohamed Soliman Fayad and
Harudi Heikal, a prison officer ordered them into a cell, stripped off their clothes, and made them to
stand with their faces against the wall and ordered soldiers to beat them. They were beaten until they
suffered temporary paralysis. Their personal belongings and medicines were confiscated, their heads
were shaved, and they were forced to wear prison uniforms.
Complaint
8. The author alleges violation by the government of the Arab Republic of Egypt of
Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 11 of the Charter.
Procedure
9. Communication 201/97 sent by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights was received at the
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Secretariat on June 22 1997.
10. An addendum to the communication regarding measures taken by the Public Prosecutor's office
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was received at the Secretariat on June 26 1997.
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11. At the 22 Ordinary Session, the Commission decided to be seized of the communication and
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postponed taking a decision on admissibility to the 23 session.
12. At subsequent sessions, the Commission reviewed the issue of exhaustion of local remedies by
the Complainant. To this end, parties were requested to submit all the information at their disposal to
the Secretariat.
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13. At the 27 Session, the Commission took a decision on the admissibility of the communication.
Law
Admissibility
14. Article 56(5) of the Charter provides:
Communications…shall be considered if they: … are sent after exhausting local remedies, if any,
unless it is obvious that this procedure is unduly prolonged.
15. The Commission observed that on the surface of the communication, the Complainant did not
exhaust domestic remedies. It noted further that despite repeated demands, parties have not
responded to its requests for additional information on the issue of exhaustion of local remedies and
that the complaint had been pending for a long time. In the absence of such information, the
Commission declared the case closed because conditions for admissibility have not been satisfied.
Holding
For the above reasons, the Commission
Declares the communication inadmissible.
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Algiers, Algeria, 11 May 2000.