UN Rights Chief Urges Egypt to End ‘Rotation’ Detention of Critics

The practice of “rotation” (or tadweer in Arabic) has become a hallmark of Egypt’s treatment of political prisoners and government critics.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called on Egyptian authorities to immediately end the practice of "rotation", a controversial strategy used to keep government critics in prolonged detention by filing new charges just as they are about to complete their prison sentences or reach the maximum legal pretrial detention period.

The "Rotation" Practice

The practice of "rotation" (or tadweer in Arabic) has become a hallmark of Egypt's treatment of political prisoners and government critics. It allows security and judicial authorities to circumvent release orders by recycling detainees into new cases. Typically, the new charges mirror the original accusations and are often laid under counter-terrorism or national security laws, with little or no credible evidence presented.

According to the UN, this tactic has been systematically used against human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, activists, peaceful protesters, and political opponents, preventing them from regaining their freedom even after serving full sentences.

Türk described the practice as a direct assault on due process, liberty, and equality before the law, stressing that many of those subjected to it should not have been imprisoned in the first place.

"The Egyptian Government must immediately stop this practice of 'rotation' and release all those who have been subjected to it. It appears to be used to circumvent the rights of individuals to liberty, due process, and equality before the law," Türk said.

The Case of Galal El-Behairy

The latest case drawing international concern involves Egyptian poet Galal El-Behairy, who was initially sentenced to prison in 2018 for writing poetry and song lyrics critical of the government. He completed his prison term on 31 July 2021, but was not released. Instead, authorities brought two new sets of charges against him under Egypt's counter-terrorism law and penal code, each time extending his detention.

On 19 August 2025, El-Behairy was again questioned by the Supreme State Security Prosecution and hit with new charges, extending his detention for at least another 15 days. Rights groups note that these charges are nearly identical to those in his earlier cases, a pattern emblematic of the rotation system.

Other High-Profile Detainees

El-Behairy is not alone. The UN Human Rights Office is tracking multiple cases where rotation has been used:

• Alaa Abdel Fattah – a prominent activist and writer, long seen as a symbol of Egypt's 2011 uprising.

• Hoda Abdel-Monei – a lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights.

• Ebrahim Metwally Hegazy – a lawyer and coordinator of the Association of the Families of the Forcibly Disappeared.

• Mohammad Adel Fahmy Ali – political activist and former spokesperson for the 6th of April Youth Movement.

All remain behind bars under rotation measures, despite serving prior sentences or exhausting legal detention limits.

A Tool for Silencing Dissent

Türk warned that this pattern amounts to the systematic repression of dissent in Egypt, turning legal procedures into instruments of punishment against critics.

"Most of those targeted by 'rotation' should not have been detained or jailed in the first place – the charges brought against them are often related to the exercise of their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. This practice has become a tool by which the Egyptian Government represses those perceived to be critical of, or in opposition to, its policies," he said.

Lack of Transparency and Scale of the Problem

While the UN Human Rights Office continues to monitor cases, Türk acknowledged that the lack of transparency in Egypt's judicial system makes it difficult to assess the true scale of the problem. Rights groups believe that hundreds of detainees may have been subjected to "rotation" since the practice began to be widely reported in recent years.

International Response and Call to Action

The High Commissioner stressed that all those arbitrarily detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms or defending human rights must be released immediately. He urged Egyptian authorities to ensure that counter-terrorism and criminal laws are not misused as tools of repression.

"It is crucial that Egyptian authorities ensure that legal processes and, in particular, the application of counter-terrorism or other criminal laws, are never used to punish people for exercising their basic human rights," Türk added.

International human rights organizations have echoed these concerns, calling on Egypt's government to align its practices with international human rights obligations and to end the cycle of perpetual detention.