This latest move escalates a longstanding campaign of intimidation and unlawful restrictions aimed at denying Abdel Salam’s right to freedom of movement and silencing his human rights work.
This statement was originally published on afteegypt.org on 21 May 2025.
The National Security Agency at Cairo International Airport stopped Mohamed Abdel Salam, Executive Director of the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), in the early hours of 20 May, upon his return from Berlin. Abdel Salam was subjected to an unlawful interrogation by a National Security officer at the airport, which included questions about his work, his travels abroad, and whether he was accused in any cases.
He was illegally detained for an hour at Cairo International Airport before being informed that the National Security Agency had confiscated his passport. He was told to report to the National Security office in Cairo Governorate for further unlawful questioning, after which he could retrieve his passport.
This incident is part of an ongoing pattern of security harassment and restrictions on Abdel Salam’s right to freedom of movement, which he has faced for many years. He was placed on a travel watch list in 2012, while working as a researcher at AFTE. In 2018, the measures escalated when he was informed that he was subject to pre-departure security checks at Cairo International Airport. This unlawful procedure, managed by the National Security Agency, includes the inspection of luggage and questioning about the destination and purpose of travel.
On 22 August 2018, Abdel Salam was stopped at Cairo International Airport before traveling to Beirut. His passport was confiscated, and he was instructed to report to the National Security office in Alexandria. At the time, he was serving as the Director of the Research Unit at AFTE. He remained under an unlawful travel ban until 2023, when he obtained a new passport.
It is worth noting that the security inspection procedures continued during the short period between June 2023 and May 2025, during which Mohamed Abdel Salam was able to travel.
