Egypt charges prominent human rights lawyer "with spreading false information"

Egyptian authorities have charged well-known human rights lawyer and activist Mahienour El-Massry with spreading false information through social media posts concerning Gaza and conditions in Egyptian prisons, her legal team said Monday.

The 39-year-old was summoned to the offices of state security prosecutors on Monday, where she was questioned for several hours before being released on bail set at 50,000 Egyptian pounds (around USD 1,000).

Khaled Ali, a member of her defense team, explained that the charges are linked to posts Massry allegedly shared online, which highlighted Egypt's handling of 'Israel's' assault on Gaza, as well as prison conditions in the country.

Last week, Massry participated in a protest at Egypt's Press Syndicate. Demonstrators condemned leaders for their inaction on Gaza and demanded the immediate opening of the Rafah crossing and a ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Rights groups say this marks the fourth state security case filed against Massry since 2019. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights described it as part of a "systematic targeting of human rights defenders." They noted that her family received the summons at 3 AM in Alexandria on Sunday, with no specifics on the allegations.

Massry has long been recognized for her advocacy on behalf of political prisoners, labor movements, and displaced communities, including Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Egypt. Over the past decade, she has faced repeated detentions, including a nearly two-year pre-trial detention in 2019 over multiple terrorism-related charges before her release in mid-2021.