A year has passed on Ibrahim Halawa (18) ,an Irish teenager was
arrested with his sisters Somaia (28),
Fatima (23) and Omaima (21) during the
clashes between supporters of Morsi and security forces on 16 August,2013 .
Ibrahim and his three sisters were
among those arrested after taking refuge in Al Fath mosque. He was shot in his hand when the
security forces stormed the building, but was not given access to medical care
for his injury, and the only treatment he received was from a cellmate who
happened to be a doctor. He was held in detention with adults contrary to
Egypt’s Child Law which provides that children must be held in juvenile
detention centres and be separated from adults.
The three sisters were released
three months later and Ibrahim still in detention.
“Ibrahim was only 17 years old at the time of his
arrest. He has since turned 18 .A year in prison without charge is against
all international principles of justice and humanity," said Somya Halawa.
Amnesty International has concluded
that Ibrahim Halawa is a Prisoner of Conscience, detained solely for peacefully
exercising his right to freedom of expression. The organization is calling for
him to be released immediately and unconditionally, with all charges against
him dropped.
Ibrahim was expected to appear
before one of Egypt’s courts on July 16th,but the hearing was postponed
until August the 12th for no reason where the judge recused himself that means
the case will be back to zero point again.
“This trial was set to be little
more than a pantomime. In recent months Egyptian courts appear to have been
handing out mass death sentences based on flimsy evidence and following deeply
flawed proceedings. These show trials followed by mass death sentences are
becoming Egypt’s grim trademark,” said Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of
Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.
“Ibrahim’s case is just one of many
cases of injustice being meted out in Egypt’s courts. It shows the government’s
determination to flout its obligations under international law,” said Said
Boumedouha
Ibrahim also described how he was taunted by prison guards, who
told him: "'Do you think the EU are going to save you? The passport is
nothing, you are not someone important. They will not come and take you out.'
But I know I am important, I am human and that is enough," Ibrahim said.
In a recent letter ,I got a copy of it ,Ibrahim wrote "I had a
court hearing yesterday ,I didn’t even see the judge which is illegal .Also ,I
didn’t get to talk to my lawyer and the cage was sound proof ".
Ibrahim and the other detainees refused to leave the court and as a
result they were beaten. He wrote "we were beaten up, dragged down the stairs ,handcuffed in threes, we were
spat on".
Ibrahim and the other detainees came back to the prison angry and
started a hunger strike. "Today is day one in the hunger strike and I will
continue till we are released "He wrote.
The Irish government told us they work on providing Ibrahim with
fair trail which is not out request. "We want him to be released immediately and unconditionally, with all
charges against him dropped" said Somia Halawa.
