HRW slams 'forced disappearance' of two women in Egypt

Egypt security forces have arbitrarily arrested and "forcibly disappeared" two women translators, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday demanding their release.

Marwa Arafa, 27, and Kholoud Said, 35, were arrested at their homes on 20 and 21 April 2020 respectively and their whereabouts have been unknown since then, the rights group said.

"Egyptian security forces arbitrarily arrested and forcibly disappeared" the two women and "brought vague and apparently abusive charges against one of them", it said.

It urged authorities to "fully disclose the whereabouts of the women and release them or present evidence to judicial authorities of criminal wrongdoing".

HRW, quoting lawyers, said Said was interrogated by prosecutors over charges of "joining a terrorist group" and "spreading false news" in the apparently abusive case known as the "Coronavirus Case".

It said that political activists, lawyers and social media users have recently been arrested and charged in this case, mostly for criticising the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Said, a senior translator and editor at the Alexandria Library, was seen by lawyers at the state security prosecution building in a Cairo suburb on Tuesday, HRW said.

HRW researcher Amr Magdi said the arrests of the two women came with "no warrants, no explanations".

"This is the behaviour of a security establishment run amok," said Magdi.

On Tuesday, President Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the renewal for three months of a long-running state of emergency, citing health and security concerns as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virus has so far infected over 5,000 people and claimed 350 lives, according to official figures.

The state of emergency gives police broad powers of arrest and detention and curtails constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and assembly.    (AFP)