UK urged to help free British-Egyptian woman detained in Cairo

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Eman el-Shazly, a 45-year-old British-Egyptian woman, was arrested in Cairo on 16 August while visiting Egypt, with her lawyer and family claiming the detention was an attempt to silence her sister, Mona, who operates a UK-based YouTube channel critical of the Egyptian government. Eman's case file was linked to her two brothers, Hassan and Eid, who were rearrested in May and previously held on charges of broadcasting false news and promoting terrorist ideas. While the UK Foreign Office confirmed Eman is being held in a rehabilitation center and has requested consular access, the Egyptian government has not yet provided a positive response. This arrest follows reports that Egyptian security officers previously visited the family home to demand that Eman pressure Mona to cease her activism.

Consequences

The detention of a British citizen for the alleged actions of her relative abroad risks further straining diplomatic relations between the UK and Egypt. The involvement of Alistair Burt, the UK's new envoy on complex consular cases, suggests an escalation in the UK's efforts to secure the release of British nationals held under similar circumstances.

Sources

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