By Coptic Solidarity –
Bola Adel Naguib Attia — born on July 11, 2007, now barely 18 years and three months old — continues to be subjected to severe violations of his constitutional and legal rights in Egypt since his arrest at dawn on October 22, 2025.
On that date, a security force consisting of four vehicles from the Counter-Terrorism Police and several officers of the National Security Agency raided his family’s home at 53 Al-Gharbi Street, Helwan. The apartment was searched, a number of mobile phones were seized, and Bola was arrested amid a state of panic and fear among his family. The detainee’s relatives were told that “he will be released soon, provided no media noise is made.”
After a forced disappearance that lasted for more than ten days, Bola appeared on the evening of Sunday, November 2, 2025, before the Supreme State Security Prosecution. He was interrogated in Case No. 6954 of 2025 (Supreme State Security Prosecution), facing several charges, including:
- Joining an organization established in violation of the law;
- Disturbing public peace and security;
- Misusing social-media platforms;
- Contempt of religion.
An order was issued for his pre-trial detention, and he was transferred to the 10th of Ramadan Prison. His detention was renewed on November 10, 2025, via video-conference proceedings.
When asked about the conditions of his detention during the period of disappearance, the detainee stated that he had been tortured during the first three days of his detention at the National Security headquarters, and that he was suffering from extreme exhaustion and visible fear when he appeared before the prosecution. However, the prosecution refused to record his statements about the torture, arguing that the session was limited to detention renewal, and instructed his lawyer to submit a separate formal request later.
In addition, Bola is suffering from harsh and inhumane detention conditions in prison, without regard to the fact that he is a secondary-school student — a situation that endangers both his educational future and his psychological well-being.
We call on the Egyptian authorities to:
- Conduct an immediate investigation into the torture allegations made by the detainee;
- Transfer him to a humane and safe place of detention;
- Enable him to meet regularly with his lawyer and family;
- Ensure his full access to medical and psychological care;
- Take into account his age and educational future when considering the continuation of his pre-trial detention.
We affirm that what Bola is being subjected to constitutes a serious violation of the legal and constitutional guarantees afforded to every Egyptian citizen, as well as of the provisions of international conventions to which Egypt is a signatory.
