The national security prosecution postponed Tuesday Egyptian researcher Ismail Alexandrani’s session to renew his detention to 27 December.
Alexandrani’s wife Khadiga Gaafar tweeted that the session to review renewing his detention was postponed to 27 December. She previously tweeted that his next session would take place between 23 and 28 December. On 27 December, Alexandrani will have completed one month in detention.
Seventy-four university scholars and researchers from various countries, including France, have signed a petition demanding that the Egyptian authorities release Alexandrani.
The petition described Alexandrani as one of Egypt’s great researches who have spent the last few years working on significant studies addressing topics that are completely neglected by academic centres in Egypt. It described his arrest as “repression of speech”.
“His articles were featured in numerous publications and have been presented in international academic conferences and have earned him awards and fellowships. In his work, he has constantly demonstrated a genuine intellectual independence,” the petition read.
Alexandrani, 32, is a socio-political researcher, investigative journalist, and expert in extremist and Sinai affairs. He was reportedly detained upon his arrival in Hurghada airport from Berlin late November, after the Egyptian embassy in Berlin issued a memorandum against him.
In the previous prosecution investigation, Alexandrani denied all charges directed against him.
Following his arrest, solidarity campaigns and condemnations emerged, with a large number of international and local organisations calling for his release and criticising the government restrictions on journalists and opposition figures.
