Lebanese officials free political activist known as "Mocha"

Lebanese authorities have freed Egyptian dissident and activist Abdulrahman Tarek, also known as "Mocha," following a lengthy detention. Cause for his release remains undisclosed.

, and ASMedia

2025 September 3 . 2:41 PM

2 min read

Lebanese officials liberate political activist Mocha from detention

Lebanese officials free political activist known as "Mocha"

In a surprising turn of events, Abdulrahman Tarek, a renowned human rights defender and activist, was released by Lebanese authorities on May 25th, 2023. Tarek, who is also known as "Mocha," had been working with the Arab Foundation for Civil and Political Rights (Nedal), focusing on defending freedom of expression and the rights of Egyptian prisoners, notably in cases of enforced disappearance.

However, the reasons for Tarek's arrest and detention in Lebanon remain unclear, as no credible sources have reported the specific details. Searches have yielded no information about the circumstances surrounding his detention or his current status.

Prior to his arrest in Lebanon, Tarek had spent seven years in Egyptian prisons before being released in 2022. His arrest in 2013 was not related to his work with Nedal, but was part of the "Shura Council case" in Egypt, where he was detained alongside other activists. The "Shura Council case" is a well-known incident in Egyptian history, but it does not seem to have any direct impact on Tarek's work defending freedom of expression or his opposition to Egypt's regime.

Upon hearing the news of Tarek's arrest in Lebanon, his sister, Sarah Tarek, took to Facebook to demand his immediate release. The "Shura Council case" is not mentioned in her post.

It is important to note that Mary Lawlor, the UN's Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, expressed concern about Tarek's detention on Twitter, but the "Shura Council case" is not connected to her concern.

As of August 2025, there are no confirmed details from credible sources about Tarek's detention, reasons for arrest, or release status in Lebanon. For updated and specific information on this topic, checking credible news outlets or official statements from human rights organizations specializing in Middle Eastern activists would be more beneficial.