Aida Seif al-Dawla, co-founder of the Al-Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, was ordered released on Sunday after the State Security Prosecution questioned her on charges of "broadcasting false news with the aim of disturbing public security and peace," according to lawyer Haytham Mohamadeen. Bail was set at LE100,000. Human rights groups described the summons as part of a systematic escalation against rights workers, politicians, and journalists.
On Wednesday, Seif al-Dawla announced that the State Security Prosecution had summoned her for questioning in Case 09/2026 without specifying the charges. The session lasted three hours, during which she was questioned about the Al-Nadeem Center's publication of a report on "harassment and torture in places of detention" released earlier this month. She was also asked about other center publications regarding torture victims.
The report documents 188 cases from media reports and appeals from detention centers, focusing on torture and harassment in Sector 2 of Badr 3 Prison, described as a "black hole." It also portrayed judicial authorities, which should serve as a refuge for citizens, as occasionally "disturbing" them.
A coalition of human rights organizations issued a statement labeling the summons as part of an escalation against human rights defenders, politicians, and journalists. They highlighted similar recent cases, including the arrest and investigation of political activist Ahmed Douma, as well as 2025 summonses for Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights Executive Director Hossam Bahgat, Mada Masr Editor-in-Chief Lina Attalah, lawyer and activist Mahienour al-Massry, and writer and politician Ammar Ali Hassan.
The groups criticized bail amounts as "a new form of indirect punishment and financial depletion." The statement noted: "Bail is originally an exceptional legal procedure aimed at ensuring the accused’s attendance at investigation or trial sessions, and is not supposed to be a means of punishment or deterrence."
Such summons often involve vague charges like "spreading false news, joining a terrorist group, and misusing social media," with bails ranging from LE100,000 to LE120,000.
