Letter to Egyptian Minister of Interior Habib al-`Adli and Prosecutor General Maher `Abd al-Wahed

April 4, 2005  
 
I am writing to inquire regarding the whereabouts of Abul Futuh Tahsin Abul Futuh, 21 years of age, a business student at Helwan University, and Tahsin Tahsin Abul Futuh, 23, an engineering student at Tenth of Ramadan University, who were taken into custody by State Security Investigations officers early this morning. We would appreciate receiving information regarding any criminal offenses that may have required their apprehension, and where they are being detained. If they are not suspected of any offense, we request that they be released promptly and permitted to return to their family.

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According to information we have received from the family of the two brothers, four State Security Investigations (SSI) officers, let by Lt. Col. Hisham Tawfiq, went to their home on Abbas al-Akkad Street in Nasr City at 4 a.m. this morning. They searched the house thoroughly, and confiscated papers and a computer. According to their mother, the SSI officials then took the two young men with them, saying it was a “standard security procedure and that they would be back “in two hours.”  
 
As of 6:30 p.m. Cairo time, they have not returned, and the family has received no information concerning their whereabouts or the reasons for their continued detention. The family believes that they may be in SSI headquarters in Cairo’s Lazughli neighborhood or in the SSI branch in Nasr City.  
 
According to family members, Abul Futuh Tahsin is a member of Tabligh wal-Da`wa (Preaching and Summoning), an apolitical preaching network. The two brothers have attended a local mosque in Nasr City whose imam, Shaikh Hani, was arrested several days ago. Some nine other persons said to be affiliated with Tabligh wal-Da`wa were reportedly detained in the Nasr City area over the past several days.  
 
We respectfully request that the government promptly release Abul Futuh Tahsin and Tahsin Tahsin or inform their family of their whereabouts and the reasons for their detention. We also request that they be permitted access to legal counsel in connection with any interrogation that they may be subjected to.  
 
Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. We look forward to hearing from your office as soon as possible.  
 
Sincerely,  
 
Joe Stork  
Washington Director  
Middle East and North Africa Division  
 
CC: Ambassador Nabil Fahmy, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Washington, DC