CAIRO, May 16 (Aswat Masriya) – The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC), which was founded in 1991 by a small group of barristers, expressed Monday its "serious concern" at the recent arrests and detention of a number of Egyptian lawyers, rights defenders and journalists.

In its statement, the BHRC shed light on the case of prominent human rights lawyer Malek Adly, whose detention for 15 days was ordered by the prosecution on May 6.

Adly is accused of “inciting protests” against a recently signed border demarcation agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He is also charged with attempting to overthrow the regime, belonging to one of the associations or organisations that seek to disrupt the provisions of the constitution and broadcasting false news.

The border agreement requires the Egyptian government to cede sovereignty over two strategic Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. The issue has stirred controversy among Egyptians, as critics argued that the islands are Egyptian and accused President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of “selling Egyptian land” in return for Saudi aid.

Calls for protest emerged in opposition to the border agreement. Some Egyptian lawyers including Adly filed a lawsuit against it.

Protests erupted on the Friday that followed the signing of the agreement, Apr. 15, and again on Apr. 25, which coincided with Sinai Liberation Day.

The calls for protest were met with a wide-scale security crackdown including mass arrests and detention of protesters, journalists and lawyers.

An Egyptian court sentenced 152 protesters on Saturday to between two and five years in prison each after they demonstrated on Apr. 25, Reuters reported.

"The continued repression and mass arrest of human rights defenders in Egypt has escalated following these calls to protest," BHRC said.  

The statement also tackled the raiding of the Press Syndicate on May 1 and the arrest of the two journalists; Amr Badr and Mahmoud al-Sakka.

The two journalists face charges of inciting protests, attempting to overthrow the regime and broadcasting false news with the aim of disturbing public peace. They were further faced with charges relating to social media content and articles published in the press, according to their lawyer.

"Crimes alleging the creation or distribution of 'false news' are frequently used against journalists and human rights defenders in Egypt, and substantially interfere with the freedom of expression," the BHRC stated as it recalled the international treaties which Egypt is obligated to uphold including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights.

The BHRC called on the Egyptian authorities to "affirm, enforce and ensure, through its governments and courts, full respect of the fundamental rights of these men and of all lawyers and journalists working in Egypt, as guaranteed under international law and the Egyptian Constitution."

The BHRC describes itself as the international human rights arm of the Bar of England and Wales, working to protect the rights of advocates, judges and human rights defenders around the world.