Indications and messages The rise of Ultras Ahlawy detainees to “75” fans

At a time when secular forces and parties are sitting on the lap of the Sisi military regime, enjoying the crumbs in the play of non-national dialogue that is currently taking place, away from public opinion, the regime is waging war against Islamists first, led by the Muslim Brotherhood, and then against ultras associations, headed by the Ahlawy ultras. Then, the civil youth forces and movements that rejected the military coup against the democratic path, such as Ghad al-Thawra, the Revolutionary Socialists, and some of the revolution’s youth, after the April 6 Youth Movement accepted to enter under the obedience of the regime and participate in the dialogue play with the certainty that there are no guarantees or hope for satisfactory results from this absurd play. .

With regard to the Brotherhood, the regime has diarrhea in issuing judicial decisions to include the group on terrorist lists, which reached 4 decisions from October 2022 AD to May 2023 AD. Other than dozens of decisions to place more than (1,500) of the group’s symbols, leaders, and elements on terrorist lists. As for the ultras associations, the number of young people detained in the generals’ prisons has increased to about 75 fans of the Ahlawy Ultras only, in addition to those detained in connection with other cases of the White Knights Association of Zamalek fans, led by the capo Sayed Moshaghab.

According to the monitoring of the lawyer in cassation, Muhammad Muhammad Rashwan, the advisor and legal representative of Al-Ahly Club, and the defense of the club’s fans who are imprisoned pending investigations, the number of the club’s arrested fans has increased to 75. He added, in statements – according to the “New Arab” newspaper – that the accusations were that a number of those arrested did not have an “entry ticket” or “VAN ID”, and possession of “shamrekh” and attempting to bring them into the stadium after hiding them in various ways, and creating groups Banned for attempting to revive the Al-Ahly Club Fans Association known as (Al-Ahly Ultras). Likewise, some published videos and pictures of burning “Van IDs” and “tickets”, which included verbal insults and slander against state officials and incitement against them and against state institutions, and the possession and raising of the “Palestine” flag, which is considered a political activity without obtaining a security permit to do so. The accusations included joining a terrorist group and seeking to achieve its goals by joining and participating in groups on various social media sites, specifically “WhatsApp” and “Telegram”, which included incitement against the Egyptian state and its various leaders and institutions, calls for demonstrations after football matches, and a call to collect funds. With the aim of financing the revival of the Al-Ahly Club Fans Association, what falls under the item “Terrorism Financing”.

Youth defense lawyers submitted a petition to the Public Prosecutor (private Malaki) Hamada Al-Sawy, to state that the arrested youth were young and “deceived” and added to private groups without knowing who was behind them and their goals, especially since more than 50 young men were arrested from their homes. And from separate places after the end of the Al-Ahly match in the African Champions League, which took place on April 22, 2023 AD, at Cairo Stadium.

And progress

Attorney Ahmed Jumaa, in his capacity as the representative of the family of the imprisoned child Youssef Hamdi (15 years old), on Wednesday, May 16, 23 AD, sent a communication to the Public Prosecutor, Hamada Al-Sawy, about the illegality of his detention and his imprisonment with adults. The lawyer’s communication stated that the child, Youssef, has been imprisoned for nearly a month so far, in violation of the Egyptian law and the constitution, in violation of Article 80 of the constitution, which states that “a child may not be held criminally accountable or detained except in accordance with the law and for the period specified therein, and legal assistance shall be provided to him, and his detention shall be in appropriate places.” separate from adult detention facilities. The communication continued, “The child was imprisoned for the first time, then his detention was renewed, and he was placed in places of detention for adults in violation of the law and the constitution. He is also presented to the prosecution and deported to and from them handcuffed with adults, all of which are in violation of the law, the constitution, and international covenants on children’s rights.”

On Monday, May 15, 2023, the Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to renew the detention of “37” Al-Ahly fans for “15” days, pending investigations in Case No. 744 of 2023, on charges of “joining a banned group operating in violation of the provisions of the law.” This decision restores the links file. ultras” to the fore; And it sends a stern message that the regime of dictator Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is continuing its frenzied war against the associations of the “Ultras” sports clubs without stopping in the context of its dirty war against Egyptian society with all its groups, sects and living forces, with the exception of a handful of mercenaries around it, whether in its government and security agencies or in the formal opposition parties that have accepted To be a decoration to beautify the image of the military regime.

The military regime takes hostile stances towards the ultras associations because of its participation in the activities of the January 2011 revolution, starting with the Friday of Anger, then its participation in the rest of the revolution’s activities during the transitional period, and its rejection of the generals’ coup in July 2013. The military regime orchestrated two famous massacres, the first in February 2012 against the Al-Ahly ultras, in which about 74 Al-Ahly fans were killed. In February 2015, a second fan massacre was carried out against the Zamalek ultras, “White Knights”, in which more than twenty fans were killed.

A few months after the air defense massacre against the Zamalek Ultras, the Cairo Court of Appeal for Urgent Matters issued, on Saturday, May 16, 2015 AD, headed by Counselor Osama Sabry, with the membership of Counselors Walid Abdel-Baqi and Ahmed Aziz, and the secretariat of Hassan Qarni, accepting the appeal submitted by Zamalek Club President Mortada Mansour, on A court of first instance ruled that it lacks jurisdiction, and the court decided in its session to ban ultras associations nationwide and to consider them a terrorist group.

In February 2016, Al-Sisi announced, in a phone call to a satellite program, his readiness to meet with ten young ultras to inform them of what was done in the investigations into the incident, and to ask them to provide the presidency with any information they have about it, explaining that the state does not seek to hide the facts. However, the Ultras Ahlawy Fans Association refused to participate in Al-Sisi’s play. In a statement on their Facebook page on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, Ultras members affirmed their demands for the return of the rights of the dead and retribution for those involved in that four-year massacre, “while there are agencies in the state that know the details of that day and have records and testimonies of what happened.” The Ultras League’s statement carried dissatisfaction with what it considered a hostile attitude of the Egyptian media towards it, and said that the state is now seeking to discuss with young people, while the media is fighting them and describing them day and night as financiers and “terrorists.” The Ultras Ahlawy Association said that Sisi’s call “shows the president’s interest in finding a solution to the problem,” but it demanded the return of the right to blood and retribution from all those who participated in the massacre, “and an investigation with all parties, including the security leaders who were involved in that massacre, and the names of many of them were mentioned in the prosecution’s investigations.” Whether by planning, planning, negligence or concealing any evidence related to the case.” The Ultras Ahlawy Association concluded its statement, saying, “Young people have put forward initiatives over and over again in order to return to their natural place inside the stands, and we are now extending our hands to the homeland for the return of the spirit to the stands and stability for the country.” This provoked Al-Sisi, so he took strict stances against the ultras, forcing the leagues to dissolve themselves in April 2018, after severe security pressure and the pursuit of hundreds of the league’s members and imprisoning them on fabricated political charges related to terrorism cases.

In an attempt to control the sports fans and ultras associations that were established between (2007 and 2008), and during Egypt’s hosting of the African Cup of Nations in 2019 AD, the regime established a “My Ticket” company owned by a sovereign agency with the aim of selling tickets and organizing the entry of fans in coordination with local and international football federations and agencies. the wish. Its partnerships then evolved to include the Professional Football Clubs Association, established in 2021, which became responsible for managing the football scene in Egypt. However, these partnerships caused the Egyptian stands to empty the identity of “kora fans,” who consider going to the stadiums a pleasure in itself. As the historical audience was replaced by another from higher economic classes, as well as the exclusion of those considered a security risk within the policies of siege, containment and prevention of a possible revolution.