Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on behalf of the European Commission

The European External Action Service, Commission services and the EU Delegation in Egypt continue to follow closely the case of Mr Patrick Zaki and have continuously raised it with the Egyptian authorities. The case has been included in the EU ‘trial monitoring system’ with representatives of the EU Delegation and EU Member States attending hearings subject to access constraints imposed by COVID-19. The EU has called for the release of Mr Zaki in bilateral contacts as well as publicly at the High Representative’s speech in the European Parliament on 17 December 2020[1]. The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, has called for the release of prisoners on humanitarian grounds amid the pandemic, with particular concern for those in pre-trial detention and human rights defenders. In this context, the EU Special Representative has specifically raised the case of Mr Zaki with the Egyptian authorities. EU Member States have called for the release of Mr Zaki at the 46th session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council.

• [1] https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/90775/egypt-speech-behalf-hrvp-borrell-ep-plenary-deteriorating-situation-human-rights-egypt_en