Human rights lawyer; defender of detainees and advocate for legal reform in Egypt.
The lawyer who once walked into courtrooms to defend detainees now moves by wheelchair, paralyzed by torture and denied the care that might have saved his mobility.HuMENA Editorial
Tarek Al-Selkawi is a human rights lawyer who defended detainees and pressed for legal reform. Arrested in 2018, he was tortured in custody, leaving his left arm and leg paralyzed. He now moves by wheelchair and is serving fifteen years in Gamasa Prison.
Tarek Al-Selkawi built his career on difficult cases. As a human rights lawyer based in Egypt, he focused on civil and political rights, representing detainees caught in the machinery of the security state. His work involved defending individuals accused under terrorism and national security laws, many of whom faced prolonged pretrial detention and allegations of torture. He also advocated publicly for legal reforms aimed at curbing abuses within the justice system.
Al-Selkawi was associated with the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms, an organization that provided legal aid and documented rights violations. The group became a target for authorities who viewed its work as a challenge to state narratives around security and stability.
On 1 November 2018, security forces arrested Tarek Al-Selkawi. The arrest formed part of a broader campaign against the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms. Multiple lawyers and staff members were detained in connection with what prosecutors labeled case number 1552 of 2018 Supreme State Security. The investigation accused the organization of collaborating with a banned group and spreading false news, charges commonly deployed against human rights defenders in Egypt.
Al-Selkawi was taken into custody without a warrant being presented to his family. His whereabouts remained unknown for an initial period, a pattern consistent with enforced disappearance.
While in detention, Tarek was subjected to torture. The methods and duration have not been publicly detailed, but the consequences are documented and visible. He sustained injuries that resulted in paralysis of his left arm and leg. Medical care was withheld or inadequate during the critical period following the abuse, exacerbating the damage.
Tarek now relies on a wheelchair for mobility. His condition requires ongoing medical intervention, including physical therapy and pain management, which are not available in the prison environment where he is held. Gamasa Prison, located in Gamasa City in the Dakahlia Governorate, is a facility known for overcrowding and limited medical services.
In 2019, while still in pretrial detention, Tarek was placed under investigation in a new case numbered 1781 of 2019 Supreme State Security. The nature of the charges in this second case has not been made public, but the practice of layering investigations is a documented tactic used to extend detention indefinitely.
The trial in case 1552 of 2018 took place before the First Circuit of Terrorism Felonies, sitting as an Emergency State Security Court based at Badr Criminal Court. These courts were established under Egypt's long-running state of emergency and operate without the possibility of appeal. Verdicts are final upon issuance.
On 5 March 2023, Judge Mohamed Saied El Sherbiny sentenced Tarek Al-Selkawi to fifteen years of rigorous imprisonment. The verdict was handed down alongside sentences for other defendants in the same case, collectively known in Egyptian media as the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms case. The charges centered on membership in a banned organization and disseminating false news harmful to national security.
No avenue exists under Egyptian law to appeal verdicts issued by Emergency State Security Courts. The sentences are implemented immediately, and defendants have no recourse to higher judicial review.
Tarek Al-Selkawi remains imprisoned in Gamasa Prison, serving his fifteen-year sentence. His health continues to deteriorate due to inadequate medical care and the lack of rehabilitation services for his paralysis. He requires assistance for basic daily activities and remains dependent on a wheelchair.
The second investigation, case 1781 of 2019, remains open, creating the possibility of additional charges and extended detention even beyond the current sentence. Family visits have been reported as irregular, though specific denials have not been documented in available records.
His case has been cited by international human rights organizations as emblematic of Egypt's systematic targeting of lawyers who defend political prisoners and document state abuses. The torture he endured and the impunity surrounding it reflect broader patterns of ill-treatment in Egyptian detention facilities.
This case file was compiled by HuMENA's Egypt research team from primary documentation, public filings, family-supplied legal documents, and confidential partner reporting. Editorial responsibility rests with the HuMENA Editorial Board. Where dates or facts are uncertain, the record errs on the side of the source material and notes uncertainty in the live archive at humena.org.
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