To The National Council for Human Rights in Egypt, Save Marwa Arafa’s life
Press Release
Excellencies,
We submit this urgent request regarding the case of Ms. Marwa Arafa, who has been detained since April-2020 in Al-’Asher Prison - Building No. 4 on charges related to Case No. 570 of 2020, which is being heard by the Supreme State Security Court. Ms. Marwa Arafa appeared at the hearing on Saturday 18 October 2025, in a state of severe exhaustion and with obvious difficulty breathing. She informed the judge that she suspected she had a pulmonary embolism. Her lawyers therefore submitted another request during the hearing to transfer her to the university hospital for urgent care. Ms. Marwa Arafa was referred to trial in December 2024 along with 38 others in case No. 19857 of 2024 (Felonies Madinet Nasr ), on charges of “joining a terrorist group and financing terrorism.”
Ms. Marwa has exceeded the legal period of pretrial detention, in clear violation of Article 143 of the Code of Criminal Procedures, which stipulates that the maximum period of pretrial detention for felonies shall not exceed two years. Her continued detention for more than five years constitutes a violation of the guarantees of justice enshrined in the law.
In addition, Ms. Marwa suffered a serious health crisis in prison in August 2025, resulting in a pulmonary embolism, as initially diagnosed, which led to difficulty in her mobility and a continuous deterioration in her health. Despite the gravity of her condition, she received only one night of care at the Correctional and Rehabilitation Center Hospital before being returned to her cell, without completing her treatment or providing the necessary medical equipment, except for what her mother was able to provide at her own expense. Her lawyer's request to transfer her to the Badr Medical Complex, which has the necessary medical care for her treatment, was also ignored. Requests from her lawyer and family to transfer her to an outside hospital for diagnosis and treatment at her own expense were ignored, especially since the prison administration recently refused to implement the Public Prosecutor's permission for her lawyer to visit her in prison. Finally, she has been confined by being denied her right to daily exercise, which in her case is not only a fundamental right but also a therapeutic necessity to prevent future blood clots.
Her continued detention under these circumstances constitutes a clear violation of Article 55 of the Egyptian Constitution, which states that “Anyone who is arrested or detained shall be treated in a manner that preserves their dignity, and shall not be tortured, intimidated, or physically or mentally harmed.” Article 56 also states that “prison is a place of reform and rehabilitation, and the state is obligated to provide decent and humane conditions.” It also contravenes Egypt's international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 9), which guarantees the right to liberty and security of person, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 12), which guarantees the right to the highest attainable standard of health.
In addition to Marwa’s health suffering, her continued detention deprives her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, of her mother's natural care, which is a double punishment for the child and the entire family. It is worth noting that Ms. Marwa was imprisoned when her daughter was only two years old and was arrested in front of her young child, causing the child trauma.
Therefore, we request your esteemed Council to intervene urgently to examine this case and demand that the relevant authorities end the detention of Ms. Marwa Arafa by releasing her pending trial, especially given her serious and life-threatening health condition, in order to preserve her right to life and dignity and to embody the Council's role in protecting human rights in Egypt.
Marwa above all, is the mother of a young child on the autism spectrum. Throughout her six years of imprisonment, she has been deprived of accompanying her seven-year-old daughter during crucial moments of her development and of exercising her natural role in her care and upbringing. Her absence has compounded the suffering of her child, who particularly needs her mother's presence, making Marwa's continued imprisonment a double punishment for the child and the entire family.
During her imprisonment, Marwa has lost important opportunities to work, complete her studies, and develop her skills in translation and editing. She has also been deprived of her normal life and the exercise of her fundamental rights, which has deepened the individual and social losses resulting from her continued detention.
Based on the above, and in accordance with the Egyptian Constitution and international conventions to which the state is committed, we request that your esteemed Council:
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Intervenes urgently to examine the case of Ms. Marwa Arafa.
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Addresses the relevant authorities to end her detention by releasing her pending trial, thereby ensuring her return to her family.
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Ensures that she receives the necessary health care for her condition, in accordance with constitutional and humanitarian standards.
The release of Marwa Arafa will restore her natural right to life and liberty, restore her daughter's right to her mother's care, and fulfill the vital role of the National Council for Human Rights in protecting rights and preserving human dignity.
Sources:
Signatories:
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The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA)
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The Center for Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA)
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The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)
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New Woman Foundation
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The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF)
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Egyptian Human Rights Forum
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El Nadeem Center
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Law and Democracy Support Foundation
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The Egyptian Observatory for Journalism and Media EOJM
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Egyptian Front For Human Rights
