Lawyer Peter Ragheb arrested on charges of “joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and misusing social media”

Coptic solidarity –

On April 4, 2021, the Egyptian Front for Human Rights reported an investigation by  the State Security Prosecution with “Peter Nashaat Na`im Ragheb” (lawyer – 31 years old) pending the case 65 for the year 2021 State Security. The prosecution charged him with “joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and misusing social media.” This was based on his sharing on his Facebook page of news from electronic and press websites that shed light on the political and human rights situation in Egypt.

The security forces arrested Peter from his home at dawn on March 31, 2021, and he was taken to an unknown place. Those in charge of his detention beat him and stripped him of his clothes. He remained in this place until he was brought before the State Security Prosecution on April 4, 2021. The prosecutor imprisoned him for 15 days pending investigations

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Kyrollos Neshat – Peter’s brother – issued (as posted on his Facebook page) an urgent and passionate appeal on May 7 to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, requesting his intervention to release his brother, in which he said:

I present to you this petition and appeal from us to release and pardon my brother, prisoner Peter Nashat Naim Ragheb, who is being held in pretrial detention pending investigations conducted by the prosecution in Case No. 65 of 2021, Supreme State Security and detainned  in Tora Prison for investigation .. Since my brother (Peter) was arrested from our apartment on Thursday 1/4/2021, at three o’clock in the morning, by members of the State Security Forces. We had no news about him, until we were surprised that he was presented to the State Security Prosecution in the New Cairo Courts Complex more than 48 hours later.

This made him fall under material and moral coercion, and until now he has not been brought again to the State Security Prosecution or any investigative body. His pretrial detention gets extended without interrogation or giving him the chance provide his statements far from the hands of those who arrested him and fabricated charges against him. The charges against him are “joining a terrorist group, misusing social media, and spreading false news” … while my brother “Peter” was never involved with any groups or political activities and worked as a lawyer. I hence do not know the source of this information and charges so that the Public Prosecution office can clarify the truth based on documents. However, so far, he has not been released.

Since then, the psychological and health status of his elderly father has been in a severe deterioration, in addition to the fact that he is unable to travel to  visit his son in Tora Prison, because he is a heart patient (has four stents) and diabetic and, with the doctors informing us of serious complications due to abstaining from food because of his concern for my brother ..

Mr. President, the respected patron, I hope that you look with a compassionate and caring eye for a young man in his early life who works in the legal profession and everyone testifies to his morals, commitment and calmness .. Please look into the matter in mercy and compassion for an entire family threatened with collapse because of imprisoning one of its members, losing his fate and his father’s concern for him, who can at any moment get complications that may lead to his death .. We ask your Excellency to pardon my brother or at least to present him to the prosecution in investigation sessions to har his statements and to legally renew the detention.

Thank you, Excellency, and we are confident of your fairness and care.