International Campaign for AROPL Members in Egypt

The campaign to protect members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) in Egypt has rapidly evolved into a major international movement, drawing attention and action from human rights advocates and supporters across the globe. 

The campaign was sparked by the documentation of at least four members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, including Syrians, arbitrarily detained between 8 and 14 March 2025 solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of religion. 

Three of those arrested, Hussein Mohammed Al-Tenawi, Omar Mahmoud Abdel Maguid, and Hazem Saied Abdel Moatamed, were subjected to enforced disappearance. Ahmed Al-Tanawi, a Syrian asylum seeker and brother of Hussein, was also arrested and unlawfully deported to Syria, where his safety cannot be guaranteed. 

The urgency and gravity of the situation prompted a coordinated global response. Amnesty International, in collaboration with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), issued a press release calling on the Egyptian authorities to immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared, release all detainees unconditionally, and halt the ongoing crackdown on religious minorities

Following the release of this press release, the detained members resurfaced, after being forcibly disappeared by security forces for a period ranging between 29 and 34 days. They were brought before the prosecutor, who investigated them along with 10 other members of the religious minority on charges of “joining a group established in violation of law and constitution.”

In response to the concerning developments, human rights organizations escalated their efforts. Amnesty International launched an urgent action campaign, one of its most critical levels of emergency response. The campaign was rapidly adopted by multiple sections of Amnesty International. 

Amnesty International groups in multiple countries have prioritized the case of AROPL members in Egypt simultaneously for several key reasons that reflect the severity and urgency of human rights abuses. The targeted individuals were arrested solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of religion, a fundamental right protected under international law. The case involves violations, including enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, torture, and deportation to Syria, where individuals would face grave danger. These are urgent abuses that demand immediate international attention and action. 

Amnesty International groups in countries including Canada, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland adapted the campaign to their local contexts, providing translated materials, sample letters, and clear instructions for supporters to contact Egyptian authorities and Egyptian embassies in their respective countries, and advocate for the release of the detained members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, to open an investigation into the three men’s enforced disappearance and to stop prosecuting Ahmadi believers solely for peacefully exercising their faith. 

Below is a list of the major Amnesty International sections involved in the campaign, along with links to their urgent action pages:

Global Urgent Action

Canada Urgent Action

USA Urgent Action

Germany Urgent Action

Netherlands Urgent Action

Belgium Urgent Action

Switzerland Urgent Action

Across all areas, the campaign began with urgent action alerts that provided background information, updates on the case, and clear instructions for supporters, encouraging them to write letters or emails to Egyptian authorities demanding the immediate release of detained AROPL members and an end to enforced disappearances and threatened deportations. Each group prepared letters or petitions, which were translated into the local language to ensure accessibility for all participants. 

Social media, email lists, and official websites were used to raise awareness and mobilize a broad base of supporters. These coordinated efforts, each tailored to local language and context, made it easy for supporters worldwide to participate and amplify the call for justice, collectively increasing the pressure on Egyptian authorities to address the violations. Notably, the petition launched in Canada amassed over 30,000 signatures, a powerful demonstration of public support and international concern about the situation in Egypt.

The movement also drew support from civil society, journalists, and human rights defenders, who amplified the call for solidarity and accountability. The leader of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, Aba Al-Sadiq Abdullah Hashem, publicly endorsed the campaign, emphasizing the community’s determination to resist persecution and demand their fundamental rights. 

This coordinated effort amplified the message and increased the number of voices calling for justice, resulting in a flood of letters, petitions, and public statements from supporters in multiple countries, all calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained AROPL members and an end to enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests. The Egyptian government is now facing significant international pressure from human rights organizations and civil society.

As we observe, the campaign to protect the AROPL community in Egypt has become a major international movement, with coordinated actions by Amnesty International sections in at least seven countries. The campaign’s transformation into a significant international movement reflects both the severity of the human rights violations and the power of coordinated, global advocacy to challenge state repression and protect freedom of religion and belief for all persecuted minorities. The Egyptian government is now facing significant international pressure. However, sustained advocacy and global solidarity are critical to secure the release of all detained members and to hold the Egyptian government accountable for its actions.