On November 1, 2018, at around 1 a.m., state security forces broke into Abdel Moneim’s house in Cairo and arrested her without a warrant, taking her to an unknown location. For 21 days, her fate and whereabouts remained unknown. She reappeared on November 21, 2018, at the office of the State Security prosecutor in Cairo, who accused her of “joining an illegal group” and “inciting harm to the national economy”, and ordered her pre-trial detention.
Abdel Moneim’s arrest took place amidst a wave of arrests occurring in late October 2018, which targeted at least 40 human rights lawyers and activists.
Since January 2019, Abdel Moneim has been detained in Al Qanater Female Prison. She has been deprived of visits by her relatives and her lawyer. Moreover, her pre-existing health problems have become significantly worse, due to the denial of necessary regular medication. In January 2020, she suffered a suspected heart attack in prison. The treatment she received was inadequate and her transfer to the hospital delayed.
On March 17, 2021, in light of the severe risk COVID-19 poses for Abdel Moneim’s health, MENA Rights Group and six other organisations requested the intervention of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and the UN Special Rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights to urge the Egyptian authorities to immediately release her.
In August 2021 – after a three-year long period of detention without charge – Abdel Moneim’s case was transferred to the Emergency State Security Court in Cairo. According to the prosecution referral from August 23, 2021, she was charged with “joining and financing a terrorist organisation” as well as “alleging and broadcasting false news impacting peace and security”.
In June 2021 (AL EGY 5/2021) as well as in November 2021 (AL EGY 12/2021), several UN Special Procedures mandate holders sent communications regarding the detention of Abdel Moneim. Both communications remain unanswered to this day.
On March 5, 2023, Abdel Moneim was convicted by the Cairo Emergency State Security Court based on charges of joining a terrorist group (Art. 86 bis of the Penal Code) and alleging and broadcasting false news impacting peace and security (Art. 80 D of the Penal Code). She was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence. Furthermore, the court ordered a police-supervised parole of five years following the prison sentence. As with all decisions from the Emergency State Security Court, the ruling cannot be appealed. The only way to appeal the decisions is through a plea submitted to President al-Sisi, who has the authority to overturn or modify court decisions.
On April 4, 2023, MENA Rights Group filed an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and to the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers asking for Abdel Moneim’s immediate release from prison and the lift of the five-year parole.