Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) calls for the urgent and unconditional release of Egyptian translator and activist Marwa Arafa (32), whose health has reached a life-threatening stage after more than five years of unlawful detention.

Arafa suffered a serious health crisis in mid-August, including a pulmonary embolism, dangerously low hemoglobin levels, high fever, and numbness in her upper body that led to loss of consciousness. She was briefly hospitalized but returned to prison after only one night. Since then, she has received little more than an oxygen cylinder that was quickly exhausted. Her condition continues to decline, and her treatment amounts to deliberate medical neglect.

Arafa was arrested on April 20, 2020, and subjected to two weeks of enforced disappearance. She has now spent more than five years in prison on charges such as “spreading false news” and “joining a terrorist group.” These accusations are without foundation and are used to punish her for her humanitarian work supporting families of political prisoners with food and clothing. Her detention has far exceeded Egypt’s two-year legal limit for pretrial custody, turning into an open-ended punishment outside any fair judicial process.

Her imprisonment has also had severe consequences for her family. Her young daughter has lived more than five years without her mother, enduring deep emotional deprivation. Family appeals to the president, the Ministry of Interior, and the National Council for Human Rights have gone unanswered.

WJWC stresses that Arafa’s case is part of a broader pattern of violations against political detainees in Egypt, particularly women. Reports continue to document denial of medical treatment, restrictions on visits, and other forms of abuse designed to silence dissent and punish activism.

Women Journalists Without Chains demands:

·         The immediate and unconditional release of Marwa Arafa.

·         Urgent and adequate medical care for all political detainees.

·         An end to the routine extension of pretrial detention beyond legal limits.

·         Independent access to Egyptian prisons for local and international human rights bodies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.

·         Respect for the rights of detainees and their families under Egyptian and international law.

WJWC holds the Egyptian authorities fully responsible for Arafa’s safety and warns that any further deterioration in her condition will rest with them. The organization also urges the international community not to remain silent in the face of such abuses, as silence only strengthens repression and impunity.

Women Journalists Without Chains reaffirms its commitment to defending the rights of women activists, journalists, and detainees in Egypt and the region. The suffering of Marwa Arafa is a stark reminder of the urgent need for decisive action to address the worsening human rights situation in Egyptian prisons.

Issued by:

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC)

August 20, 2025