A British mum-of-four detained in Egypt allegedly over her sister’s political activism has been ordered to remain behind bars for another 15 days.
Eman el-Shazly, 45, claims to have had no direct contact with her husband or children since being taken from her mother’s Cairo home earlier this month.
The housewife, from Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, appears to be in a poor psychological state according to her Egyptian lawyer.
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Eman, who was taken into custody on 17 August, appeared at a detention hearing by video link on Sunday (30 Aug), where her lawyer argued for her release.
But her detention has been extended until around 13 September.
Her husband, Zeesharn Moustapha, said their four children – aged between nine and 18 – have been left heartbroken.
“Their mother’s been kidnapped abroad,” he told Need To Know.
“School starts this week. I’ve got to work, look after the house, look after the kids and keep my head together.
“It’s a very high-pressure situation that I find myself in.
“I haven’t got time to sit down and cry on the floor.
“There’s no time for that.
“There’s no space for that.
“I need to stay busy. That’s the only thing keeping me going at the moment.”
Egyptian authorities allege Eman used a social media account to promote the ideas of a terrorist organisation and spread false news or statements said to harm security and public order.
However, her UK legal representative, Arfan Rashid, said they had not been told of any specific post allegedly published by Eman or given evidence that she personally promoted such an organisation.
She is one of four siblings currently detained under State Security Prosecution Case No. 4489 of 2026.
Her lawyers and family believe the detentions are linked to another sister, a UK-based activist who publishes videos criticising the Egyptian government.
The day before Eman’s arrest, security officers allegedly visited her mother’s home, spoke to her and told her to make her sister “stop”.
They did not arrest her at the time but returned the following day.
Zeesharn said the last time he heard his wife’s voice was when she called as officers arrived.
He said: “She called me and told me, ‘They’re smashing the door, and they’re going to take me’.
“It was like that Taken movie.
“The primary feeling I’m having is worrying about her situation, how she’s feeling and what she’s being subjected to.
“That is where the thoughts start to hurt a bit more.”
He described Eman as a devoted mum who stayed at home to care for their children.
He said: “She’s a great mum.
“She looks after the house and does the school runs.
“That’s a full-time job in itself.”
Eman had been in Egypt for around eight weeks after travelling there to support her elderly mother.
Two of her brothers had been rearrested in May, with relatives making lengthy journeys to bring them food in prison.
Eman is now reportedly being held at the 10th of Ramadan Rehabilitation Centre, north-east of Cairo.
Zeesharn described it as a “notorious prison” and claimed inmates can be held in groups of around 30, sleeping on concrete floors with just one toilet and shower.
He also alleged that relatives are responsible for supplying prisoners with food, leaving Eman’s 68-year-old mother facing gruelling journeys to support her children.
He said: “The reason my wife went there was that it’s an 18-hour round trip to take food to the prison.
“Now there are four of them in four different cells.
“That’s four journeys they have to make now.”
Eman’s sister was reportedly detained the day after her, leaving their mother with four of her kids behind bars.
Zeesharn said: “Her mother’s in pieces.
“The only person there helping her is one of the brothers’ wives.
“There are also a lot of children.
“It’s put them under a lot of strain and pressure.
“It’s surreal that, in this day and age, these are the conditions people are being forced into without doing anything wrong.”
The brothers previously spent around two years and nine months in pre-trial detention from August 2020 before being released without receiving a sentence or conviction.
They were arrested again in May and placed under the current case, which Eman subsequently joined.
Mr Rashid, of Rashid Law, said the chronology raised “extremely serious questions” over whether Eman was being prosecuted for her own conduct or detained in retaliation for a relative’s political activity.
He said there were “compelling grounds for concern” that it amounted to punishment by association or collective punishment.
He said: “A person should not lose their liberty because of what somebody else is alleged to have said or done.”
The UK Government’s March 2026 country policy note cites reports of Egyptian authorities targeting relatives of activists and dissidents living overseas.
Rashid Law plans to make formal representations to the Egyptian ambassador and is considering approaching human rights bodies and relevant United Nations procedures.
Rashid acknowledged that Eman’s dual British-Egyptian nationality created difficulties but called for sustained ministerial intervention, consular access and reliable confirmation of her welfare.
He said intervention by the Prime Minister and a direct conversation with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi should not be ruled out.
Zeesharn said the ordeal had shattered his lifelong belief that his British passport would protect him and his family overseas.
He said: “I’ve always joked with my family that we’ve got the most powerful book in the world.
“We travel, we’re safe, and we have that security in our pocket.
“His Majesty’s logo is on my passport. Should that mean something?
“It’s been a shocking end to that delusion.”
Zeesharn said friends and neighbours – including some he had never previously spoken to – had brought food and offered to help the family.
He added: “It’s nice to get those little highs amongst loads of lows.
“It keeps you plodding along.
“We just want to tell her that we love her, we miss her, and we’re fighting for her.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Egyptian Embassy have been approached for comment.
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