Free Haitham Mohamedain, Egyptian labour lawyer

Haitham Mohamedain, one of Egypt’s leading labour lawyers and an activist with the Revolutionary Socialists, has arrested  on his way to meet clients in Suez. He was detained by the Army near Suez and has been transferred to a police station in the city. According to the latest information from Egypt, he has been charged with assaulting an army officer.
 
Haitham has played a leading role for years in defending workers in struggle, both in the police station and in the streets as a revolutionary activist. He was at the forefront of the massive protests against Mohamed Morsi on 30 June, but has also been one of the few voices condemning the military’s crackdown and the killing of hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters since the Army takeover.
 
What you can do:

• Sign the statement below calling for Haitham’s release and the dropping of all charges. Add you name here
• Write urgently to the Egyptian authorities calling for his release and an end to the harassment and prosecution of the military’s political opponents. Rush messages of protest to General Abd-al-Fattah al-Sisi, Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces. Email General al-Sisi here mod@afmic.gov.eg copy in Kamal Abu Aita, Minister of Labour (minoffice@mome.gov.eg) and the Egyptian Ambassador to the UK (eg.emb_london@mfa.gov.eg) or your country. 
• Sign and circulate our Emergency Statement on Egypt.

 
Freedom for Haitham Mohamedain
We condemn the arrest and detention of Haitham Mohamedain by the Egyptian army on 5th September in Suez. Haitham is a well known labour lawyer and revolutionary activist who has represented hundreds of workers arrested on picket lines or facing court hearings as a result of victimisation by their bosses or assaults by the police. Just two weeks ago he was in Suez defending steel workers whose strike for higher wages was broken up by the Army.
 
As a leading member of the Revolutionary Socialists, Haitham has also been one of only a small number of revolutionary activists prepared to publicly condemn the brutal crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood by the Army in recent weeks, including the killing of hundreds of protesters on 14th August.
 
We call for Haitham’s immediate release and the withdrawal of any charges against him.
 
This is republished from MENA Solidarity Network