URGENT ACTION

STOP EXTRADITION OF TORTURE SURVIVOR TO EGYPT
Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel, an Egyptian citizen, is at imminent risk of forcible deportation from Saudi Arabia to Egypt following his arrest on 13 November 2024 by Saudi authorities, where he would be at risk of torture, persecution and other grave human rights violations. In 2021, an Egyptian criminal court sentenced Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel in absentia to life imprisonment in Egypt on charges stemming from his protest activity in 2014. Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel’s family told Amnesty International that Egyptian security forces shot Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel for his participation in anti-government protests, where he said he was subjected to torture. He moved to Saudi Arabia in 2014 after being released on bail. If extradited, Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel faces a high likelihood of torture and persecution by Egyptian authorities on account of his political opinion. The Saudi authorities must immediately halt Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel’s extradition, which would amount to a clear violation of the principle of non-refoulement under international law, and release him.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

Waleed Mohammed Al Samani
Minister of Justice
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Postal Code 11472, P.O Box 7775
Email: 1950@moj.gov.sa 

Your Excellency,
I am writing to express my grave concern for Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel, an Egyptian citizen detained in Jeddah since 13 November 2024 and facing imminent extradition to Egypt. His extradition would put him at high risk of torture and persecution by Egyptian authorities.
Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel took part in the Arab Spring protests in Egypt in 2011 and in anti-government protests in 2014. During the protests, he was shot by Egyptian security forces on two separate occasions, leaving him with long-term health issues, including embedded shrapnel that remains in his body. Following his participation in protests, Egyptian authorities detained him in 2014 and reportedly subjected him to torture. After he was released on bail in the same year, he moved to Saudi Arabia where he now lives with his wife and children who are US nationals. 
In 2021 Egyptian authorities sentenced him to life imprisonment in absentia in a politically motivated trial on charges of “incitement to demonstrations, organizing demonstrations, incitement to the use of force and violence, possession of explosive materials, participation in protests and gatherings, obstruction of traffic and organizing a gathering”. 
Saudi authorities had previously arrested Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel in October 2022 following an extradition request by Egypt, according to information given to him by a Saudi prosecutor. After being detained for three days without being presented with any charges or official documentation, he was released and was able to remain in the country without further issue.
I am highly distressed to learn that if extradited to Egypt, Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel will be at real risk of torture and persecution, including arbitrary detention. 
I therefore urge you to immediately halt Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel’s extradition to Egypt and release him unless credible and admissible evidence is presented to justify his detention.
Yours sincerely,
Additional information

Since 2013, thousands of individuals have been arbitrarily detained in Egypt solely for exercising their human rights or following proceedings violating fair trial rights or without legal basis. Those held include human rights defenders, political activists, members of opposition parties, trade unionists, workers, peaceful protesters, journalists, lawyers, social media influencers and members of religious minorities. During 2023, 834 prisoners held for political reasons were released, but authorities arrested triple this number. The Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) interrogated at least 2,504 suspected critics or opponents on accusations of involvement in terrorism-related offences, cybercrimes, protests and spreading “false news”. 
Those eventually referred to trial face grossly unfair proceedings, including in front of exceptional emergency courts and “terrorism circuits” of regular criminal courts on spurious charges of undermining “national security”, “terrorism” and spreading “false news.” The right to a fair trial in cases of a political nature is routinely flouted. Most frequently documented violations include the right to be tried by an independent and impartial tribunal, the right to presumption of innocence and not to incriminate oneself, the right to a public hearing, the right of the accused to be informed of any charges against them, the right to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence and the right to communicate with counsel of their own choosing.
Security forces, including the National Security Agency (NSA), continue to subject dissidents to enforced disappearance, during which they are at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. According to the Stop Enforced Disappearances campaign, at least 70 individuals arrested in 2023 were subjected to enforced disappearance, with the fate and whereabouts of six remaining unknown.
Torture and other ill-treatment remain prevalent in Egypt with near total impunity. Amnesty International has consistently documented the security forces’ use of torture and other ill-treatment of detainees in Egypt’s prisons, police stations and NSA-controlled facilities. Methods of torture consistently reported by victims and witnesses include beatings, electric shocks, suspension by the limbs, indefinite solitary confinement, sexual abuse, beatings, deliberate denial of healthcare and indefinite solitary confinement in inhumane conditions. The Egyptian authorities systematically failed to carry out effective investigations into the causes and circumstances of these deaths in custody and bring those responsible to justice.
Prisoners continued to be held in conditions violating the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment, including through deliberate denial of healthcare, prolonged solitary confinement, bombardment with bright lights, camera surveillance around the clock and denial of family visits.
Between January and March 2019, Amnesty International documented the enforced disappearance of five people following their forced return to Egypt from Turkey and Malaysia. On 18 January 2019, the Turkish authorities deported Mohamed Abdelhafiz to Egypt, where Egyptian authorities have subjected him to enforced disappearance for more than a month. Mohamed Abdelhafiz had been sentenced to death on 22 July 2017 in his absence following a mass unfair trial and is now detained pending his retrial.

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Arabic and English.
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 5 February 2025.
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Ahmed Fathi Kamal Kamel (he/him).

Additional targets

His Excellency Mr Sherif Ahmed Mahmoud Kamel
Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt  
26 South Street, W1K 1DW 
Tel.: 020 7499 3304/2401  
Fax: 020 7491 1542 
E-mail address: egtamboff@gmail.com   
               Egyemb2020@gmail.com 
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00
Salutation: Your Excellency