Egypt: Man detained after Facebook post remembering 2011 revolution
An Egyptian man has gone missing after he was detained on Sunday over what his family says was a Facebook post he wrote commemorating the anniversary of the 2011 pro-democracy revolution.
Activists and relatives said Haitham el-Banna was detained at his home, and has since been held incommunicado.
Rights groups have documented thousands of cases of “enforced disappearance” in Egypt in recent years, when detainees go missing for more than 24 hours after their arrest.
"Haitham never harmed anyone. He is the kindest and bravest person in the world... very peaceful and loves doing good for people more than he loves himself," his sister Shaimaa el-Banna said.
Shaimaa added that she believes his arrest was linked to two Facebook posts he wrote remembering the 2011 revolution on its 11th anniversary on 25 January.
According to local and international rights groups, enforced disappearance has become a systematic practice since Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led a coup against his democratically-elected predecessor Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Many of those subjected to enforced disappearance remain missing for days, months or years.
Among the disappeared are activist and former MP Mostafa al-Naggar, who has been missing since September 2018, and Ahmed Amasha, a campaigner against enforced disappearance.
Amasha was himself a victim of the practice twice in 2017 and 2020, and was subjected to torture during those periods.
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