Justice for Ayman Hadhoud

Statement by the Revolutionary Socialists

The crime of the enforced disappearance, torture, and killing of economic researcher Ayman Hadhoud has revealed an unprecedented level of dominance exerted by the National Security Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Interior. This dominance extends beyond the Ministry of Interior to include the Public Prosecution and Forensic Medicine Authority under the Ministry of Justice and psychiatric hospitals under the Ministry of Health. These bodies have shown a level of complicity that makes it impossible to ensure even the minimum standards of justice, appearing to act in service of and under the command of the National Security Agency, executing its instructions!

Based on the joint statement issued by nine human rights organizations, which detailed the events in chronological order, from the moment Ayman Hadhoud was arrested on February 6th until his burial on April 12th, it is evident that there was apparent collusion by state agencies to conceal the truth of what happened to him, mislead his family, and involve them in a futile search for his whereabouts while the body was being prepared for burial in a charity grave.

In its statement, the Ministry of Interior attempted to divert attention from the actual crime by pointing to other issues, such as Ayman’s mental state before his arrest and the circulating allegations about it. They also launched a digital propaganda unit to support their narrative, focusing on accusing the researcher of committing an unlawful act and his delirium during interrogation, which in itself indicts the Ministry of Interior and raises questions about how security agencies treat any detainee suffering from psychological instability.

The crime of killing researcher Ayman Hadhoud, following his enforced disappearance is not an isolated incident with unique circumstances. Rather, it is a systematic practice employed by the security arm of the regime against citizens. Last month, in March, there were 35 victims of enforced disappearance by the Ministry of Interior, 43 in February, and 56 in January. Last year, the total reached 431 (according to reports from the “Archive of Oppression” issued by the Al-Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture). What adds further crimes to the regime’s record is the anonymization of bodies, erasing their identities, and burying them along with the truth, as happened with Ayman Hadhoud.

We condemn the disappearance and killing of Hadhoud, stand in solidarity with his family and loved ones, and support the victims of the regime’s enforced disappearances and their families. We affirm that the crime of Hadhoud’s disappearance and killing provides conclusive evidence of the systematic use of violence by the National Security Agency in dealing with all forms of political opposition. After the state has tightened its grip on all areas of political activity on the ground, it also uses all its repressive tools to persecute opponents, culminating in their disappearance and killing, while also misleading the facts surrounding these crimes.