ANHRI condemns the security services for their detention of Kamal al-Fayoumi, labor activist and member of the Revolutionary Socialists movement, in the city of Mahalla on 11 February 2012 because of his call to participate in a general strike demanding both the accomplishment of the Egyptians revolution’s goals and power handover from the Military Council to a civilian authority. A number of parties, movements, and political powers shared the same call to protest the inaction of the Military Council in the implementation of the Egyptian revolution’s goals, and its use of the same policies of Mubarak’s regime as in the restriction of public freedoms.
Prior to al-Fayoumi’s detention, yet on the same day, the security services detained an Australian journalist, an American student studying in the American University in Cairo, and their interpretor while in the city of Mahalla. They were all brought to investigation before Mahalla prosecution on charges of “inciting civil disobedience”. The case file and the police report were withdrawn from the prosecution during its investigations on 12 February, and the case is now being investigated by an anonymous sovereign body.
It is worth noting that al-Fayoumi is one of the prominent labor leaders who was detained on 6 April 2008 due to his activity during the famous 6 April strikes of Mahlla city. He remained under detention for approximately 75 days in Borg al-Arab prison. He was released after the mentioned events had subsided.
“The interim Egyptian authorities administering the transitional phase still target the supporters of the revolution and restrict freedoms the same way Mubarak’s regime did. The authorities neglect our ongoing calls to stop the setback of the goals and gains of the Egyptian revolution, and have no respect to freedom of expression without which a democratic transition cannot be” said ANHRI.
“Strike is a peaceful and legitimate means of protest. It is strange that an activist is detained for inciting peaceful protest in defense of a revolution in which over 2000 protester sacrificed their lives for democracy, public freedoms, and economic rights. Therefore, as we are expressing our surprise over the infringement on the authority of the prosecution and the withdrawal of the case file from it, we call on the Egyptian authorities to release Kamal al-fayoumi, the Australian journalist, the American student, and their interpretor immediately. We also call on them to cease their ongoing attempts to defame the pro-democracy movements and to besiege freedom of expression” added ANHRI.
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