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Forced disappearance of human rights defender Ahmed Amasha

Status: 
Disappeared
About the situation

On 12 July 2020, human rights defender Ahmed Amasha was seen at the office of the  State Security Public Prosecution and was then taken to an unknown location.

On 17 June 2020, human rights defender Ahmed Amasha was arrested from his home in Hilwan, and taken to an unknown location.

About Ahmed Amasha

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Ahmed Amasha is an Egyptian human rights defender and member of the “Kefaya” opposition movement, a trade unionist and an active environmental rights defender. Amasha is a veterinarian by profession and formerly the head of the veterinarian syndicate.

14 July 2020
Sighting of Ahmed Amasha

On 12 July 2020, human rights defender Ahmed Amasha was seen at the office of the  State Security Public Prosecution and was then taken to an unknown location. The defender's family and lawyer have not known of his whereabouts since he was arrested on 19 June.

Ahmed Amasha is accused of joining an illegal organization.

19 June 2020
Forced disappearance of human rights defender Ahmed Amasha

On 17 June 2020, human rights defender Ahmed Amasha was arrested from his home in Hilwan, and taken to an unknown location.

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Ahmed Amasha is an Egyptian human rights defender and member of the “Kefaya” opposition movement, a trade unionist and an active environmental rights defender. Amasha is a veterinarian by profession and formerly the head of the veterinarian syndicate.

On 17 June 2020, several police members raided the house of the human rights defender in Hilwan, and arrested him. Ahmed Amasha was taken to an unknown location. During the raid the human rights defender’s phone was confiscated. The family has no information about the condition or the whereabouts of the human rights defender.

Ahmed Amasha has received several threats of arrest. By the end of May 2020 several police forces raided the family house of Ahmed Amasha and aggressively inspected the mobile phone of the human rights defender’s mother. The police officers repeatedly asked the family about the human rights defender’s location.

Ahmed Amasha has long been targeted by the Egyptian authorities. In March 2017, he disappeared following his arrest at a police checkpoint in Cairo, and was tortured by agents of the State Security Investigation Service during the interrogation.

On 4 October 2019, the human rights defender was released from prison under probation, and obliged to report to the police station twice a week.

Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned regarding the arrest and forced disappearance of human rights defender Ahmed Amasha. Front Line Defenders believe they are solely motivated by his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.