On 16 January 2015, Abdullah Zalat was with his family when several men wearing civilian clothes raided his home in the city of Tanta, 100km north of Cairo, claiming that they were from the Homeland Security, but without explaining why they were looking for him. Before his loved ones could react, Zalat was forced out to an unknown location.

His family believes that he was arrested because of his affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, a political movement that has been the target of a violent repression campaign by the authorities since July 2013. They are extremely worried over his fate as they suspect that Zalat is being secretly detained by the Homeland Security and at high risk of being tortured, as is common practice for the Egyptian security forces to treat political opponents.

They consequently filed complaints before Cairo's Attorney General and Tanta's Attorney General on 17 January, but to no avail. His family is particularly concerned over his fate, as numerous Muslim Brotherhood supporters abducted by the security forces in the past year have not reappeared.

With no recourse in their country, Zalat's family contacted Alkarama who sent an urgent appeal to the WGEID to ask the Egyptian authorities to immediately disclose Abdullah Zalat's current place of detention and that his family be authorised to visit him immediately. In the absence of charges against him, he should be released. The Egyptian authorities have to put an end to the practice of enforced disappearances, which have been escalating in the past year.

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