February 12, 2022
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President
Arab Republic of Egypt
Office of the President
Al Ittihadia Palace
Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt
p.spokesman@op.gov.eg
Dear President el-Sisi:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues around the world.
This letter concerns the ongoing imprisonment of Ahmed Samir Santawy, a promising master’s degree student and researcher at Central European University in Vienna, where his dissertation focused on gender violence and reproductive rights. On February 1, 2021, Mr. Santawy was detained in Egypt by the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) on suspicion of membership in a “terrorist organization;” he was further accused of using social media to spread misinformation. He has denied all the accusations against him.
Mr. Santawy, beaten and blindfolded, was interrogated for five days. He was tried almost six months later, then sentenced by an emergency court to a fine and four years in prison.
We are concerned that Mr. Santawy, despite his steadfast denial of the accusations against him, was subjected to physical and mental torture in an effort to coerce a confession from him. We are further concerned that the extremely long sentence Mr. Santawy received, despite the nonviolent nature of his alleged crimes, was imposed for purely political reasons. Finally, we note that the cruel treatment and unjust sentencing of Mr. Santawy have done far more damage to Egypt’s reputation than the social media posts of which he was falsely accused.
The methods used to convict Mr. Santawy and the lack of evidence against him are unacceptable, We urge you to release him so that he may return to his fiancée and family. Barring his release, we request that his health and medical needs be monitored and that he be treated in prison in accordance with the highest standards of civility and, indeed, humanity.
We will continue to pay close attention to this pressing matter.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Cc:
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @ABlinken
Ambassador Motaz Zahran,
Ambassador of Egypt to the United States
3521 International Court, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
consulate@egyptembassy.net
Phone: (202) 895-5400
Twitter: @MotazZahran
Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt
Masbero-Kornish El Nile Street
Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: Contact.Us@mfa.gov.eg
Phone: 25796334/39 – 25772500
Fax: 25748822