Communiqué de solidarité avec l’avocat du travail égyptien Haytham Mohamadeen

Vendredi 18 mai à l’aube, les forces de sécurité égyptiennes ont investi le logement de Haytham Mohamadeen, avocat du travail et activiste socialiste, pour l’emmener vers une destination inconnue. Haytham est un défenseur connu des droits des travailleurs, et a travaillé sans relâche pour soutenir les syndicalistes indépendants visés par la répression de l’état à cause de leurs revendications pour de meilleures conditions de travail et le droit à l’organisation et à la grève. De plus, comme l’affirme Amnesty International, Mr Mohamadeen “a été persécuté par les autorités égyptiennes en raison de son travail pour les droits de l’homme” ; il a en effet joué un rôle central pour défendre le Centre al-Nadeem, qui soutient les victimes de torture et de violence, du harcèlement et de la persécution par les autorités.

Mr Mohamadeen est apparu au tribunal le samedi 19 mai pour se faire signifier sa mise en détention provisoire pendant 15 jours. Les rapports d’activistes des droits de l’homme en Egypte disent qu’il subit un interrogatoire pour avoir “encouragé à des manifestations contre la hausse récente du prix des tickets de métro.”

Nous exprimons notre inquiétude quant au bien-être de Mr Mohamadeen après son arrestation, au vu de l’utilisation systématique et bien documentée des abus et de la torture par les forces de sécurité égyptiennes contre les détenus. Nous sommes convaincu-e-s que son arrestation est conçue, encore une fois, pour faire taire toute critique à l’encontre du pouvoir militaire actuel. Nous sommes outré-e-s de voir que l’on puisse se faire arrêter et poursuivre en justice pour avoir protesté contre les inégalités sociales. Nous appelons les autorités égyptiennes à libérer Haytham Mohamadeen immédiatement et sans conditions et à abandonner les poursuites dont il fait l’objet.

Pour signer la pétition

https://www.change.org/p/prosecutor-general-arab-republic-of-egypt-freedom-for-haitham-mohamedain-stop-the-repression-in-egypt

– Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor Emeritus, MIT, USA
– Elias Khoury, Novelist and Academic, Lebanon
– Christine Buchholz, Member of the Bundestag, Germany
– Professor Clément Mouhot, University of Cambridge
– Ian Hodson, National President, Bakers’, Food & Allied Workers Union (UK)
– John Hendy, QC, UK
– Professor Gilbert Achcar, SOAS University of London, UK
– Talal Asad, Distinguished Professor, City University of New York
– Professor James Dickins, University of Leeds
– Professor Alex Callinicos, King’s College London
– Prof Haim Bresheeth, SOAS
– Dr Marion Hersh, University of Glasgow, UCU NEC
– Professor Malcolm Povey, University of Leeds
– Professor Khaled Fahmy, University of Cambridge
– Dr Tim Pringle, SOAS University of London, UK
– Dr Yasser Munif, Emerson College, Boston, USA
– Prof. Nadje Al-Ali, SOAS University of London, UK
– Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit TD, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland
– Bríd Smith, People Before Profit TD, Dublin South Central
– Gino Kenny, People Before Profit TD, Dublin Mid-West
– Gerry Carroll, People Before Profit MLA, Belfast
– Eamonn McCann, Journalist and author, Derry
– Dr Peadar O’Grady, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, Dublin
– Cllr Matt Collins, People Before Profit , Belfast City Council
– Cllr Tina MacVeigh, People Before Profit, Dublin City Council
– Cllr John Lyons, People Before Profit, Dublin City Council
– Cllr Emma Hendrick, People Before Profit, South Dublin County Council.
– Dr John Molyneux, retired lecturer and author
– Dr Anne Alexander, University of Cambridge
– Kieran Allen, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, UCD and author.
– Dr Adam Hanieh, SOAS University of London, UK
– Alan Wald, H. Chandler Davis Collegiate Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, USA
– Dr. Bashir Abu-Manneh, Reader in Postcolonial Literature, University of Kent
– Professor Philip Marfleet, University of East London
– Dr. Carlo Morelli, University of Dundee and UCU NEC member
– Professor Ziad Elmarsafy, King’s College London
– Dr Nicola Pratt, University of Warwick
– Professor Alfredo Saad Filho, SOAS University of London
– Prof Mark Zeitoun, University of East Anglia
– Prof John Chalcraft, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
– Lorenzo Feltrin, University of Warwick
– Professor Ray Bush, University of Leeds
– Khaled Eissa, King’s College, London
– Rima Majed, American University of Beirut
– Dr. Waseem Yaqoob, University of Cambridge
– Dr Rasha Soliman, University of Leeds
– Suzan Gibril, Université libre de Bruxelles
– Dimitris Christopoulos, President of the International Federation of
Human Rights (FIDH), associate Professor at Panteion University of
Athens
– Lefteris Papagiannakis, vice mayor of Athens city
– Procopis Papastratis, Professor, Panteion University of Athens
– Makis Kavouriaris, professor, university, Paris
– Mihalis Lymperatos, professor, historian
– Petros Constantinou, councilor Athens municipality
– Katerina Thoidou, councilor Rentis-Nikaia municipality
– Orestis Elias, councilor Vrilisia municipality
– Serafim Rizos, councilor Chania and president of Local Teachers union
municipality
– Katerina Patrikiou, councilor Petroupoli municipality
– Argiri Erotokritou, member of the steering committee, health workers
union, G. Genimatas Hospital, Athens
– Zanneta Lysikatou, member of the general Council, of the Federation ofHospital doctors, (OENGE)
– Irini Fotelli, member of the steering committee of Federation of TV and
radio workers unions
– Kostas Katarahias, member of the steering committee, Athens and Piraeus,
– Hospital Doctors union, (EINAP)
– Katerina Patrikiou, secretary, health workers union, Athens cancer
hospital Aghios Savvas
– Yorgos Botsides, member of the steering committee, Evros Labour Centre
– Costas Pittas, secretary, Federation of civil servants unions in the
Ministry of Development
– Spyros Revithis, president, Athens Metro workers Union
– Vasilis Sylaidis, member of the steering committee, Athens Labour Center
– Costas Vorgias, member of the steering committee, INTRACOM workers union
– Nikos Hatzaras, secretary, Local government workers union, Ampelokipi,
Greater Salonica
– Alexandros Martzoukos, member of the steering committee, Actors Union of
Greece,
– Yiannis Theocharis, member of the steering committee, Federation of
Metalworkers of Greece
– Grigoris Kalomoiris, member of the steering committee, National
Confederation of Public Service (ADEDY)
– Thanasis Diavolakis, member of the steering committee, Federation of
Teachers in Private Schools.
– Manolis Mastorakis, member of the steering committee, Union of Athens
Water and Sewerage Company
– Ian Lawrence General Secretary. NAPO
– Janice Godrich President PCS
– Chris Baugh Assistant General Secretary PCS
– Dave Bean ex-Deputy President PCS
– Peter Edwards. MCA EBU. PCS
– Mark Baker. PCS National Executive Committee
– Austin Harney. PCS National Executive Committee
– Paul Williams PCS National Executive Committee
– Hector Wesley PCS National Executive Committee
– Marianne Owens PCS National Executive Committee
– Keith Crane EFRA Group Executive PCS
– D G Owens DWP Group Executive PCS
– Hamish Drummond Group Treasurer Revenue & Customs PCS.
– Ian Lowther Revenue & Customs Group Executive Committee PCS
– Nick McCarthy Senior National Officer PCS
– Peter Lockhart National Officer PCS
– Steve Cawkwell National Officer PCS
– Olivier Besancenot, porte parole NPA
– Christine Poupin, porte parole NPA
– Julien Salingue, researcher
– Philippe Poutou, former french presidential candidate, NPA

Early on Friday 18 May, Egyptian security forces stormed the house of labour lawyer and socialist activist Haitham Mohamedain, taking him away to an unknown destination. Haitham is a well-known defender of workers’ rights, and has worked tirelessly to support independent trade unionists facing state persecution for demanding better working conditions and the right to organise and strike. In addition, as Amnesty International notes, he “has been persecuted by the Egyptian authorities for his human rights work”, playing a crucial role in defending the El Nadeem Centre - which supports victims of torture and violence - from harassment and persecution by the authorities.

On Saturday 19 May, Haitham appeared in court and was remanded in custody for 15 days. According to reports from human rights activists in Egypt, he is being interrogated in relation to “incitement to protest over the price of Metro tickets.”

Some who allegedly protested over a recent abrupt rise in fares have been arrested and some subsequently released : others are still being held. It appears that Egypt’s security services have used the opportunity to seize Haitham Mohamedain : we believe that his arrest is designed, once again, to silence voices critical of the current military regime.

We are deeply concerned for Haitham’s well-being, given the well-documented pattern of abuse and torture of detainees by Egyptian security forces. We are appalled that anyone should face detention and prosecution on charges of speaking out for basic human rights. We call on the Egyptian authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally and for any charges against him to be dropped.