Rights Groups Demand Release of Egyptian Cartoonist Ashraf Omar After One Year in Detention

July 23, 2025 – Egypt –

A coalition of 23 organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), has renewed calls for the immediate release of Egyptian cartoonist and photojournalist Ashraf Omar, who has spent over a year in pretrial detention under vague and politically charged allegations. Omar was arrested on July 22, 2024, and faces accusations of “joining a terrorist group” and “spreading false news”—charges frequently leveled against journalists in Egypt to stifle dissent.

Omar’s arrest followed his expression of critical views on social media and through his cartoons, which touched on sensitive political and social issues. According to CPJ and other press freedom watchdogs, Omar has been held without trial in Cairo’s Badr 1 Prison, a facility notorious for harsh conditions and human rights violations. His wife, Nada Mougheeth, was also briefly detained and charged during the same raid, but was later released on bail.

Since his arrest, Omar’s detention has been repeatedly extended, a common tactic used by Egyptian authorities to hold individuals indefinitely without formally proceeding to trial. Advocates argue that this practice violates both Egyptian law and international legal standards. They emphasize that his work as a journalist and artist is constitutionally protected under Egypt’s laws guaranteeing freedom of expression.

In a joint statement, the signatory organizations called for Omar’s immediate and unconditional release and demanded that Egypt end its systematic repression of independent voices. They also called for an investigation into the misuse of anti-terrorism laws against journalists and other peaceful critics.

Omar’s case is emblematic of the broader crackdown on the press in Egypt, which ranks among the world’s top jailers of journalists. Many have been imprisoned for extended periods without due process or access to fair trials. CPJ and its partners warn that the country’s continued suppression of press freedom is eroding democratic norms and silencing critical public discourse.

With no trial date in sight and limited transparency from authorities, Ashraf Omar’s fate remains uncertain, highlighting the growing risks faced by journalists and artists in repressive environments.

Reference – 

https://allafrica.com/stories/202507240024.html

CPJ, 22 others call for Egyptian cartoonist Ashraf Omar’s release a year after arrest