Families of seven individuals detained since last year in a crackdown on atheists and religious dissenters sent telegraphs to the Public Prosecutor and the President last week, calling for their relatives' immediate release. Additionally, legal counsel from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) filed a formal petition with the Public Prosecutor (No. 86782 of 2026). Both the telegraphs and the petition warn of a severe decline in the detainees' mental health caused by prolonged confinement, noting that several individuals suffered from pre-existing mental health conditions at the time of their arrest.

Families of those held in Case No. 6954 of 2025 (Supreme State Security) have reported alarming symptoms, including cognitive confusion and extreme mood swings. They fear that continued pre-trial detention will cause irreparable psychological and physical harm to their loved ones.

EIPR documented the arrest of 26 individuals between mid-September and December 2025 in Case No. 6954 of 2025. Several defendants were forcibly disappeared for weeks before being charged with joining an illegal group and publicly insulting religion—a charge commonly known as "contempt of religion."

While nine detainees were released in two groups—the first in December 2025 and the second in March 2026—sixteen others remain in custody. Their situation has become increasingly dire following the sudden death of a fellow inmate this past January.

These detentions violate Article 64 of the Egyptian Constitution, which guarantees absolute freedom of belief, and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Violations against the group include the initial lack of notification regarding charges and the use of video-conferencing for detention renewals, which prevents defendants from addressing the court regarding their conditions. Prolonged pre-trial detention also undermines the presumption of innocence. According to General Comment No. 35 from the UN Human Rights  Committee, detention should be the exception, not the rule—a principle mirrored in Article 134 of the Egyptian Code of Criminal Procedure. Despite this, the state continues to hold these individuals based solely on social media activity.

EIPR strongly condemns this unprecedented campaign, which has targeted at least 95 people since last year. We demand the immediate release of those held in Case No. 6954 of 2025 and all others detained for their religious views, and call for an immediate end to the prosecution of individuals based on personal belief.