Urgent Action: Jailed musician faces trumped-up charges

On 5 May 2018, Egyptian authorities arrested 33-year-old musician Rami Sidky at Cairo International Airport. He was detained in connection with a satirical music video, “Balaha,” which had gone viral ahead of the March 2018 presidential elections and appeared to make fun of President El-Sisi. According to his lawyer, Rami Sidky took no part in writing, producing or performing the “Balaha” song. The authorities had already detained the alleged author of the lyrics in March 2018, along with four other individuals accused of involvement in the track's production. In addition, Amnesty International considers that the song is an exercise of the right to freedom of expression. 

Rami Sidky, along with his co-defendants in case 480/2018, are facing the trumped-up charges of “membership of a terrorist group” and “insulting the president.” 

On 9 February 2019, a judge extended Sidky’s pre-trial detention for another 45 days.

Take action.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 16 APRIL 2019

Please write urgently in your own words or using the template letter included in English or Arabic to:

Public Prosecutor 

Nabil Sadek

Office of the Public Prosecutor, Dar alQada

Al-Ali, Downtown 

Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt 

Fax: +202 2577 4716

Salutation: Dear Counsellor

And copies to:

Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Human Rights 

Ahmed Ihab Gamal-Eldin 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

Corniche el-Nile, Cairo, Egypt. 

Fax: +202 2574 9713 

Email: contact.us@mfa.gov.eg 

Twitter: @MfaEgypt

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.

HIS EXCELLENCY MR TAREK AHMED IBRAHIM ADEL, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt, 26 South Street W1K 1DW, 020 7499 3304/2401, Fax 020 7491 1542, egtamboff@gmail.com egyemblondon@mfa.gov.eg

Please check with your section before sending appeals after the above date.