Egyptian authorities have held 27-year-old student Oqba Hashad in pretrial detention since May 2019, in retaliation for his brother’s human rights activism. Oqba was forcibly disappeared, tortured and denied the prosthetic leg he has used to move unassisted since a childhood accident. Sign the petition and demand his immediate release.

On 20 May 2019, National Security Agency agents stormed university student Oqba Hashad’s dorm, arresting all the students present. After a few days, the other students were released – but not Oqba. Agents realized he was the brother of Amr Hashad, an exiled human rights activist who was calling out the country’s human rights violations. 

For 77 days, Oqba’s family had no idea where he was. During this time, he was tortured – including electric shocks to his genitals and to the stump of his right leg, which had been amputated following a childhood accident. 

In August 2022, the prosthetic leg he needs to move freely broke. After 16 months, he was finally given a replacement, but it does not fit and could lead to serious injuries if used. 

On 20 February 2024, a judge ordered his release, as he had been held in pretrial detention for longer than the two years permitted by Egyptian law. To bypass this, prosecutors opened a new bogus case against him to justify his continued detention. 

Oqba is being denied proper medical care and even a bed to sleep in. His health is seriously deteriorating. 

Sign the petition and demand Oqba’s immediate and unconditional release.