Family of Palestinian mother imprisoned in Egypt demands release

The family of a Palestinian woman and her child have called on Egyptian authorities to release them immediately in a letter published by the Egyptian Network for Human Rights (ENHR), the Arab news site. Arabi21 was reported on Sunday.

Fidaa Abdel Hamid Anas Shabir, 35, and her child, born in prison, are currently being held in the 10th Ramadan Women's Prison in northeastern Egypt.

She had lived in the north of the Sinai Peninsula since 2014 and had been in pre-trial detention since 2021 on suspicion of joining the Islamic State in the Sinai Peninsula.

She denies the allegations, but remains in prison and separated from her other children.

According to ENHR, Shabir's family, which includes four children, is in the Gaza Strip. The eldest is 14 years old. The incessant Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip since October has put them in danger and they are now facing harsh conditions.

Her family called on authorities to release her from prison so she can be reunited with her family, pointing out that she gave birth to her daughter in prison after being arrested while five months pregnant.

ENHR said her children's suffering was exacerbated by the death of their father, who was killed by Egyptian authorities after being accused of being a member of the Islamic State.

“Fidaa is accused of joining a terrorist organization created in violation of the law, but all indications suggest that her only crime is being the wife of a Palestinian accused of belonging to a terrorist organization,” ENHR said.

The human rights group has stressed that the detention of Shabir's baby also poses risks to the child and could have an impact on his health.

In a statement, ENHR criticised Shabir's lengthy pre-trial detention, saying it exceeded the maximum period of two years established under Article 143 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

“Their continued detention without a final verdict constitutes a violation of international legal norms that prohibit prolonged detention without a fair trial,” they said, renewing their call for the Egyptian authorities to reassess their case and the law.