Years Behind Bars… “Freedom… Freedom” Shakes the Cages of Badr Prison Detainees, With Calls for the Release of Those Whose Pretrial Detention Terms Have Exceeded Their Limits

Years behind bars… “Freedom… Freedom” shakes the cages of Badr Prison detainees, with calls for the release of those whose pretrial detention terms have exceeded their limits

Inside the courtroom at the Badr prison complex, the chant “Freedom… Freedom” was not merely a passing protest. It came from defendants who, some of them, spent 4, 5, 6, and 7 years behind bars, despite the fact that pretrial detention is, in principle, a temporary measure that may not turn into an open-ended punishment.

In testimony to attorney Mr. Mohsen Al-Bahansi, he recounted the details of what occurred during today’s session, explaining that the defendants banged and knocked on the closed glass cages with double wire, demanding their release in accordance with the law. This was met with threats to punish them for insulting the judiciary and disrupting the session.

Al-Bahansi stated that the head of the court asked the lawyers to authorize one of them to enter the defendants’ holding area and demand that they stop banging and chanting. However, the lawyers refused to carry out the request, and they all stood in solidarity in calling for the upholding of the word of justice, law, and the values of freedom.

The lawyer confirmed that the defense submitted a request for the release of all defendants whose pretrial detention periods had ended, and that this request was unified across all cases being considered in today’s session.

Al-Bahansi concluded his testimony by saying:

“For the truth is more deserving of being followed, and the freedom of these defendants is a right, and the adjudication of rights is a right, and justice and the enforcement of the law is a right.”

Al-Bahansi’s testimony comes as part of the activities of the pretrial detention campaign launched by the Al-Shehab Human Rights Center, to shed light on the conditions of those held in pretrial detention, and to emphasize the necessity of adhering to the legal time limits for pretrial detention, and ensuring it does not turn from a precautionary measure into an extended punishment lasting for years.

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