An Egyptian Criminal Court has extended the detention of 59 Al-Ahly football fans for an additional 45 days, pending investigations. The fans were arrested in June for raising the Palestinian flag and chanting in solidarity with Gaza during a match.
The decision to renew their detention was made via video conference, with the fans absent from the session.
The defence committee representing the fans has repeatedly appealed to Egypt’s Attorney General, Mohamed Shawky Ayad, requesting their release. The detainees, many of whom are students, have been unable to sit for their end-of-year exams due to their imprisonment. The committee expressed concern that if their detention continues, the students will miss another academic year and could face expulsion from their schools.
While 14 of the detained students have been released, 59 remain behind bars.