Update on October 10th: The Qasr al-Nile Prosecution released the four Egyptians on bail of EGP 5,000 each, with one of the participants in the demonstration having been presented to forensic medicine, as she was assaulted during her arrest.

On October 9th, the Qasr al-Nile Prosecution ordered the detention of four people pending investigation into Case No. 7331 of 2024, provided that they will be investigated the next day. They faced charges of demonstrating without a license, inciting citizens to demonstrate and shouting. On 8 October, the prosecution issued a decision to deport two foreign women who participated in the same demonstration.

The six individuals participated in a spontaneous demonstration on the evening of October 7th, coinciding with the first anniversary of the Israeli war on Gaza. They participated in the demonstration to show their solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza and mourn the victims of the Israeli aggression on Palestine and Lebanon. The six were arrested, and denied an audience as their whereabouts were not declared, as all police stations in the area denied their presence.

EIPR learned of the prosecution’s decision to deport two foreign women for taking part in the demonstration. Meanwhile, the prosecution began investigating the four Egyptians today, facing them with exhibits including Palestinian and Lebanese flags and banners carrying phrases such as "The olive branch does not bend and the cedar tree does not break" and "Down with the occupation".

The arrest of the six was marred by violations of the Criminal Procedures Law. One of the demonstrators said the arrest was made by individuals in civilian clothes who did not disclose the nature of their work or whether they were judicial officers. Those arrested were physically assaulted and had their mobile phones seized, the demonstrator said, adding that they remained incommunicado for more than 24 hours without access to their families or lawyers.

This is not the first time that Egyptian citizens have been arrested, interrogated and detained for trying to peacefully express their solidarity with Palestine in the street, nor is it the first time that foreigners have been deported from Egypt for participating in a peaceful pro-Palestine rally. In December 2023, the Egyptian authorities deported four foreigners for attempting to hand over a letter to former Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry requesting security permits for a humanitarian aid convoy to move to the Rafah crossing along the Gaza border.

EIPR calls for the immediate release of the four Egyptians arrested for their participation in the solidarity rally, as there are no justifications for their pretrial detention. It also renews its call for the immediate release of all those detained for expressing solidarity with Palestine, whose numbers are estimated at dozens.