Source: www.csw.org.uk
Date: August 5, 2023
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:3)
Today we raise a song of praise and continue to pray for Patrick George Zaki – a Christian human rights defender in Egypt.
Mr. Zaki was pardoned by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on 19 July, the day after he had been handed an unjust three-year sentence by the Emergency State Security Court. This type of sentence cannot be appealed, though it must be either ratified or rejected by the president.
We give thanks that President Sisi used his authority to pardon Mr. Zaki. However, this peaceful human rights defender should never have been put through such an ordeal of injustice for more than three years.
Who is Patrick George Zaki?
Patrick George Zaki is a researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, one of a few human rights organisations still functioning in Egypt.
He was arrested in Cairo Airport in February 2020 and held in pre-trial detention for 22 months – exceeding the legal limit. Like many human rights defenders in Egypt, he was targeted with unfounded national security-related charges: ‘spreading fake news inside and outside Egypt’.
In addition to pardoning Mr. Zaki, President Sisi also pardoned lawyer Mohammad Al Baqer, who had been falsely charged with ‘spreading fake news and undermining national security’.
In summary, please pray:
- Giving thanks for the pardoning of Patrick George Zaki and Mohammad Al Baqer.
- That Mr. Zaki will be able to resume his human rights work without further threats to his freedom or safety.
- For the release of all those detained on similarly excessive, unfounded charges because of their religion or belief, or for defending the rights of others. We think particularly of those detained without trial for lengthy periods of time.
- That the Egyptian authorities will act on President Sisi’s personal commitment to improve human rights in Egypt.