Tensions have been escalating in the city of Nageela, located in Egypt’s Marsa Matrouh governorate. Following the killing of three police officers during an attempt to arrest a man sentenced to 35 years in prison on April 9, security forces detained around 20 women related to the suspects. The move, described by locals as an attempt to pressure the wanted men into surrendering, sparked widespread outrage in the area. Residents condemned the detainment of women without legal grounds, calling it a flagrant violation of fundamental rights and a return to outdated security practices.
The Ministry of Interior has denied that any women were detained. However, eyewitnesses interviewed by Zawia3 over the past hours confirmed the incident and recounted what took place. One witness, who requested anonymity, stated that what happened following the police officers’ deaths was shocking to all: at dawn, security forces raided several homes and detained around twenty women related to the suspects, without any legal justification, in a bid to coerce the wanted men into turning themselves in. He added that the detained women were mostly elderly, mothers, and housewives with no connection to the incident, which deeply angered the village and prompted elders and community leaders to intervene.
Another witness said that such incidents have become increasingly frequent in Matrouh, where authorities use oppressive tactics not only against suspects and criminals but also against ordinary citizens. He explained that even rightful landowners who oppose selling their property to investors face retaliation and their families are targeted, in complete absence of the rule of law.
In a statement issued Thursday evening, the Ministry of Interior said: “What has been circulated on various social media pages regarding the security forces of Matrouh Security Directorate detaining women in relation to the martyrdom of police personnel during the execution of judicial rulings against highly dangerous criminals is untrue.” The ministry further stated that legal action would be taken against those promoting such claims, accusing them of deliberately stirring public confusion.
Two Young Men Killed
Mamdouh Durbala, the former head of the Bar Association and a member of the legal defense team for the detained women, revealed the full details of the case to Zawia3. He said a clash occurred between the police and several suspects, resulting in the deaths of three security personnel and the suspects fleeing. The next morning, authorities arrested 23 women and detained them unlawfully to force the suspects to surrender. Under significant pressure from residents and lawyers, authorities were forced to release around 19 women, while four remained in custody.
Due to the authorities’ refusal to release the remaining women, two young men aged 17 and 18—relatives of the detainees—were compelled to surrender to the police, under the supervision of local elders and tribal leaders. It was emphasized that the two were innocent and had no involvement in the killing of the police officers, but they turned themselves in as substitutes for the women, pending the capture of the actual suspects.
The shock came when security forces took the two young men—Youssef Eid Fadl Al-Sarhani and Farag Rabash Al-Fazari—to the Salloum road and executed them extrajudicially, despite their innocence being known to all. This action sparked intense anger among residents. Asked about next steps, Durbala told us that the situation is volatile and warns of a looming disaster. While some residents want to pursue legal channels by filing an official complaint with the Public Prosecutor, others prefer to meet with the regional military commander in an attempt to contain the crisis. However, Durbala noted that the latter approach will not lead to justice.
Conversely, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement Friday morning asserting that the two young men were “dangerous criminals” involved in the incident. The statement read: “The criminal investigation units of Matrouh Security Directorate, in cooperation with the Public Security Sector, located the hideout of two highly dangerous criminal elements involved in the killing of three police officers in Matrouh while executing judicial rulings against a high-risk criminal.” The statement added: “After legal procedures were completed, the suspects were targeted with the participation of the Central Security Forces, resulting in a gunfire exchange that led to their deaths. Two automatic rifles and a quantity of ammunition were found in their possession.”
However, upon speaking with at least ten individuals who had witnessed the events from the beginning—three of whom were part of the council that arranged the young men’s surrender—all affirmed that the two had no connection to the original incident. They emphasized that the execution contradicted the agreement with tribal leaders and local elders who had mediated the surrender.
Commenting on the youths’ killing, one local resident told us, on condition of anonymity: “We first extend our condolences for the three martyred police officers, asking God to have mercy on their souls. We affirm our commitment to the rule of law and our support for the state in combating any criminal activity that threatens national security and public safety. However, we stress that justice must be served individually, and it is absolutely unacceptable to impose collective punishment or take measures against innocent people who have no link to the crime.”
He continued: “Detaining women without clear charges constitutes a blatant violation of the law and the constitution. Such actions are completely unacceptable and cannot be justified under any circumstances. We hope the Ministry of Interior will conduct a transparent investigation into this matter to prevent its recurrence in the future. We also strongly condemn what happened yesterday—the cold-blooded execution of two young men from Matrouh who were completely innocent and unrelated to the case under investigation. They surrendered voluntarily based on promises of safety, in order to undergo legal questioning. But instead, they were taken to the roadside and shot, which amounts to revenge, not justice, and violates both law and religious principles.”
He concluded: “We demand an immediate investigation into this painful incident, and we hold morally and ethically responsible the tribal leaders and officials in the governorate, who bear the duty of protecting our children and defending their rights. The blood of these innocent youths is on your hands, and we will not remain silent in the face of this injustice.”
A Threat to Trust Between Citizens and the State
In his comments on the crisis, human rights activist Nour Khalil told Zawia3 that this is not the first time such violations have occurred. He recalled a similar incident at the Nageela Police Station, where security forces arrested and detained women from local families in March 2023. He pointed out that areas like Marsa Matrouh and its surroundings—extending to Salloum, including Nageela—regularly witness ongoing violations against residents, whether through accusations of smuggling targeting young men or other arbitrary security practices. He explained that individuals are often arrested in one case and then added to others without any legal justification.
Khalil, along with hundreds of human rights defenders and activists, participated in a widespread social media campaign in recent hours protesting violations against women under the hashtag #Except_Women (#إلا_النساء). He emphasized that the issue in these areas extends beyond individual rights violations, creating vendetta-like conflicts that affect entire families—such as the case of the two young men who were executed after turning themselves in, or as in the incident he was informed of this morning.
He added: “What’s happening constitutes a severe breach of the principle that punishment is personal. Security practices now extend to the families of suspects—whether by executing them, detaining them, or intimidating them. This is unjustifiable even if the suspect is indeed involved in illegal activity.” He criticized the Interior Ministry’s statement, noting that it failed to address the core of the issue, only stating that a shootout occurred in which one person died immediately and two others later in the hospital. Meanwhile, the security forces remain stationed at the hospital, with no explanation of what measures were taken to protect civilians in the area or why homes were raided.
Over the past decade, Egypt’s Ministry of Interior has faced repeated accusations of severe human rights abuses, according to reports by both international and local rights organizations. These violations include the excessive use of force against protesters—resulting in hundreds of deaths—as well as torture inside National Security Agency facilities, and the enforced disappearance of thousands. The country has also carried out mass executions of political detainees following trials widely described as unfair. Prison conditions continue to deteriorate, with overcrowding, poor medical care, and negligence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the Interior Ministry has published reports claiming improvements in human rights through humanitarian initiatives and the oversight of National Security personnel, these measures have not stopped the documented violations. Human rights organizations stress that such abuses have become systematic and widespread in the absence of effective accountability mechanisms, significantly impacting basic freedoms and individual rights in Egypt over the last ten years.
A Threat to Social Peace
Khalil stressed that treating women in this manner constitutes a serious violation, especially in Bedouin communities where women are considered a sensitive and central part of the tribal and social structure. He added: “Sometimes, security agencies resort to detaining mothers or sisters to pressure the suspect into surrendering. In some cases, they even raid bedrooms and send photos from inside to exert psychological pressure. This is deeply humiliating and a gross breach of both the law and social norms.”
He explained that such violations sever the state’s relationship with its citizens, as the state becomes the party committing the abuse and loses the trust of the people. “Instead of the state being responsible for protecting the children of suspects and helping them reintegrate into society, it behaves like a thug, extending punishment to innocent family members—which is completely unacceptable.”
He continued: “Border areas like Marsa Matrouh, Nageela, Barani, and the Ras El-Hekma surroundings are under intense pressure due to investment projects based on evicting people from their homes without fair compensation. This adds to long-standing problems like smuggling, which some locals engage in just to make a living. They are arrested and thrown into prison for years without fair trials or even knowing when they’ll be released.” He cited the case of Farhat Al-Mahfouzy in Barani, who was killed in a security raid, sparking widespread anger and roadblocks that led to the deaths of two police officers. He emphasized that such events fuel resentment and drive people toward violence and revenge.
The Egyptian human rights advocate stated: “Violent security tactics and collective punishment in these regions only breed more violence and rage. When people feel no one listens to them—not even tribal elders or local mayors, who are no longer able to act as intermediaries with the state—they lose faith in all state institutions.” He added: “Today, we’re seeing young people blaming tribal elders for what’s happening, because they are the face of the community in dealings with the state. This anger is only leading to further escalation.”
“The way things are being handled now in these areas—from forced evictions to arrests and executions—is a guaranteed recipe for more violence in the future. The state must reevaluate its policies and reopen communication channels with the local community. Otherwise, the situation is heading toward an explosion,” said Khalil.
Collapse of the Rule of Law
For his part, Yasser Saad—a lawyer specialized in social and economic rights—asserted that these practices “are not new; rather, they mark a return to old policies and the collapse of the rule of law. The Ministry of Interior has long adopted this approach, likely dating back to before 2011. Although it somewhat scaled back such practices after 2013, this was especially true in cases with political backgrounds, where those arrested were targeted for their political positions or activism.”
Speaking to Zawia3, he added: “The Ministry resorts to these tactics at moments when some of its personnel feel they are above the law, and that any assault or violation carries no real consequences—as long as they claim to be deterring lawbreakers. This is extremely dangerous,” stressing that “what is happening constitutes a grave violation not only of the law but also of the very regulations repeatedly referenced by the Minister of Interior, and which the state claims to uphold in the name of human rights.”
He further affirmed: “What is happening requires accountability—not only for the individuals who committed the violations but also for the Minister of Interior himself, as the top official responsible for their actions. We still don’t know whether the outcomes being pursued are truly in the interest of the state or society, but what we do know is that these methods represent abuses that cannot be justified and must not be met with silence.”
It is worth noting that Adil Ali Al-Abd, the head of the Matrouh Bar Association, issued a statement in response to the crisis. In it, he strongly condemned the killing of three police officers while performing their duties, noting that the incident had shaken the entire Matrouh community across all its sectors.
At the same time, Al-Abd expressed his rejection of what he described as “arbitrary security measures,” including the arrest of men and women with no connection to the incident. He considered this a clear violation of both the constitution and the law, and a threat to social peace in a governorate with a sensitive tribal and social structure. The head of the Bar Association called for the immediate release of those detained without legal basis and for an urgent investigation into the abuses. He urged the Public Prosecutor, the Minister of Interior, and the Matrouh Security Chief to intervene immediately to stop what he called “a violation of justice and of the values of the Matrouh community.”
In conclusion, the recent events in Nageela highlight a dangerous paradox in the relationship between the state and its citizens: when the very authority charged with enforcing the law is accused of violating it. Rather than seeking to contain public anger and ease tensions through transparent legal measures, the Ministry of Interior’s actions—as described by witnesses, locals, and lawyers—have become a catalyst for escalating the crisis and eroding the remaining bridges of trust with citizens in sensitive regions such as Marsa Matrouh. Detaining women without legal grounds and executing young men who voluntarily surrendered not only violates the constitution—it strikes at the heart of justice and threatens social cohesion.
Amid official denial and continued reliance on security rhetoric without transparent investigations or genuine accountability, the state is positioning itself in direct confrontation with a tribal society grounded in dignity and mutual responsibility. This portends waves of anger whose consequences are impossible to predict. Denying official statements or demonizing protesters is no longer sufficient; what is urgently needed now, more than ever, is a serious review of security policies and the reopening of justice channels for those affected.
