Ola and Hosam have a legal team of lawyers in Egypt selected and hired by the family. But they have not been allowed to access their legal counsel. The lawyers have been denied visitation permits.
Under international law everyone must have equal and effective access to legal counsel to allow for remedy for violation of their rights. Not only have Ola and Hosam faced unfair and politically motivated detention they have not been provided with the reasons for that arrest or being given the opportunity to challenge this ongoing detention.
International laws guarantee individuals their right to life shall be protected by law and that nobody shall be arbitrarily deprived of life.
When Ola and Hosam were taken into custody they were denied the following rights:
- They were not and still have not been formally informed of the nature and substance of the allegations against him;
- They were not provided with an arrest warrant or search warrant and the time of arrest.
- They were held in incommunicado detention for two days and the conditions of that period are unknown.
- They have not been provided with access or privileged communication with their legal representation;
- They have not been provided with access to their family;
- They have been subjected to solitary confinement that is argued amounts to torture;
- They have not been permitted to challenge the accusations or call evidence of their own.