May saw a marked escalation in security and judicial prosecutions linked to freedom of opinion and expression, with the continued use of pretrial detention and politically motivated trials against journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and activists. This unfolded alongside growing criticism from rights groups concerning prison conditions, refugees, labour and social rights, and renewed debate over several bills and legislative amendments.<\/p>\n
In this context, a new security crackdown targeted<\/a> three members of the Committee for the Defence of Prisoners of Conscience: lawyers Wafaa El-Masry, Mohamed Abou El-Diyar and Hanan El-Tantawy. They appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution in Case No. 4502 of 2026, registered with the Supreme State Security Prosecution.<\/p>\n The prosecution accused Wafaa El-Masry and Hanan El-Tantawy of \u201cspreading false news\u201d before ordering<\/a> their release on bail of EGP 50,000 each. Abou El-Diyar faced charges of joining a group established in violation of the law, spreading false news and using a social media account to promote it. He was remanded in custody for 15 days pending investigation.<\/p>\n The arrests came amid continuing prosecutions of the committee\u2019s founders and members since its establishment in<\/a> November 2025. Among the most prominent was the referral<\/a> of poet and political activist Ahmed Douma to trial over his calls to improve conditions for prisoners. On 13 May, the New Cairo Misdemeanour Court reserved judgment until a hearing on 3 June, while keeping him in pretrial detention.<\/p>\n