The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) has been made aware of the arrest and detention of Mr. Ahmed Badawi in Egypt. Mr. Badawi, an Egyptian citizen, was Training Unit Manager of former NIMD partner organization The Egyptian Democracy Academy, and worked with NIMD for a number of years since 2011. Reports state he was arrested in Cairo on 20 April 2019, whilst conducting a peaceful solo protest against a constitutional amendment due to be voted on in a referendum.

Sources close to Mr. Badawi have voiced concerns for his treatment in custody, including reports of detention in solitary confinement, the removal of visitation rights, and being denied adequate nutrition. As a democracy support organization, NIMD condemns the violation of Mr. Badawi’s freedom of expression and stand in solidarity with him. We would like to publicly express our support for the statement of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, which urges his immediate release. We call on the Egyptian government to fully uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Egypt is a signatory, and end the detention of Mr. Badawi.

Read the statement from the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights here: http://en.eohr.org/2019/04/22/urgent-appeal-eohr-calls-for-the-immediate-release-of-ahmed-badawi/