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Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) expresses deep alarm over the ongoing and unlawful detention of Oqba Hashad by Egyptian authorities, a grave injustice now stretching into its seventh year.
This prolonged pretrial detention not only defies the bounds of Egyptian law—specifically Article 143 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which sets a two-year maximum for pretrial detention—but also flagrantly violates international human rights standards and the most basic principles of justice.
The case of Oqba Hashad is not isolated. It is the embodiment of a cruel pattern of state retaliation, where punishment is meted out not only to dissidents, but also to their families. His arrest is widely believed to be in reprisal for the activism of his brother, Amr Hashad, a human rights advocate who was forced into exile in 2019. Since his detention, Oqba has endured a litany of human rights violations: enforced disappearance, physical and psychological abuse, denial of necessary medical care, and extended periods without due legal process.
Oqba has lived with the loss of his right leg since childhood, yet prison authorities deliberately delayed the provision of an appropriate prosthetic for over a year. This is not just neglect—it is a calculated form of mistreatment, compounding his physical suffering and denying him the basic dignity every detainee is owed.
In February 2024, a judicial order mandated his release. Instead of being freed, Oqba was forcibly disappeared for ten days, only to be re-detained under new fabricated charges—part of the well-documented and cynical practice of "case recycling," whereby authorities arbitrarily prolong detention and neutralize voices of dissent.
This manipulation of legal procedures reflects a disturbing trend: a judiciary weaponized to serve political agendas, rather than justice. These actions are in direct violation of Egypt’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees protection from arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial.
At Women Journalists Without Chains, we are not just highlighting a case—we are raising our voice against a system that uses imprisonment as a tool of intimidation and erasure. Oqba Hashad’s plight is symbolic of the wider suppression faced by political prisoners, human rights defenders, and those who dare to speak out across Egypt.
Accordingly, WJWC calls for the following immediate and decisive actions:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Oqba Hashad, and the dropping of all baseless charges against him.
- Provision of full medical treatment, including a properly fitted prosthetic leg and ongoing psychological care, in light of the abuse and neglect he has suffered.
- An end to the abusive misuse of pretrial detention and the systematic practice of case recycling, which violates both domestic and international legal safeguards.
- A transparent and independent investigation into the human rights violations committed against Oqba Hashad, holding those responsible to account without delay.
- Greater international and media attention to Oqba’s case as a critical example of the deteriorating state of human rights in Egypt, and as a call to action for systemic reform.
We also affirm our full support for Amnesty International’s "Write for Rights" campaign, which has mobilized over 33,000 voices worldwide to demand justice for Oqba Hashad. This momentum must not be ignored.
Women Journalists Without Chains calls on international human rights bodies, independent media, and civil society organizations to elevate Oqba Hashad’s story and stand united against the normalization of unlawful detention and political persecution. His freedom is not only a legal obligation—it is a moral imperative.
Released by:
Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC)
April 1, 2025
