Shawkan (Mahmoud Abou Zeid),  a photojournalist in Egypt,

An Egyptian criminal court postponed on June 30 a scheduled final verdict for 739 defendants, who are accused of crimes including murder in a case related to
the 2013 Rabaa El-Adawiya sit-in, a protest against the Egyptian Government. Egyptian security forces violently dispersed the sit-in in Cairo, leaving at least
900 people dead and thousands more injured. No member of the Egyptian security forces has been held to account for what happened, but 739 were
arrested and have been collectively charged with a whole range of offences, and so face the death penalty The court will issue its final ruling on 28 July. Defendants included the top spiritual leader of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group, Mohamed Badie, and many others, as well as the photojournalist Shawkan (Mahmoud Abou Zeid)
who was covering the demonstration. There is little doubt that the Government is using this case to intimidate opposition.
The case has been in court for the past two and half years. Human rights groups such as Amnesty have labelled the trial as “grossly unfair”. There are also
claims of torture of defendants.

Please consider contacting the local Egyptian embassy in July to urge:
– the immediate and unconditional release of Shawkan, who was reporting the protest. He has been on detention for almost 4 years, twice the legal limit under Egyptian law
– the abandonment of a mass trial which is a parody of justice in denying due process by failing to establish individual responsibility for any actions during the protest.
– Benenson Society joins Amnesty International is calling on the Egyptian authorities to release and drop the charges against all those arrested for
protesting peacefully. Defendants suspected of committing violent crimes must be tried in a fair trial

There is also a Facebook site – Freedom for Shawkan – which may be of use, especially in schools, for ongoing involvement in the issue. There is a Twitter account – Mahmoud Abou Zeid (@ShawkanZeid) – which might also be useful.

Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in the United States
3521 International Ct. N.W.
Washington D.C. 20008
United States
City: Washington D.C.
Phone: (+1) (202) 8955400

Web Site:
http://www.mfa.gov.eg/Missions/USA/Washington/embassy/en-gb
Email: [email protected]