On Monday, an Egyptian court rejected a lawsuit filed by the residents of Al-Warraq Island, which demanded that the government be prevented from expropriating land and buildings belonging to them.

According to the residents’ lawyer, Ghanem Salih, the Egyptian government decided to confiscate their property without appropriate compensation or negotiate with the residents. He added that the residents would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Administrative Court. In August, security forces released 23 Al-Warraq Island residents arrested for resisting home demolitions. Hundreds of Al-Warraq Island residents demonstrated against the government’s ongoing attempts to displace them from their homes to implement tourism projects. They also demonstrated solidarity with 35 residents facing prison sentences of up to 25 years on charges dating back to the 2017 clashes between the police and residents. They demanded the release of detainees, a reduction in the presence of security forces on the island, and the restoration of public services that had been cut off. They also called on the authorities to stop demolishing their homes and not evict them.

The Council of Ministers issued a statement saying that about 71% of Al-Warraq Island has become owned by the Urban Communities Authority in light of objections to what was described by opponents as “tyrannical practices” against the island’s residents. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stressed the importance of working to implement the island’s development plan, which aims to “upgrade this promising area and benefit from its unique location to improve the quality of life and implement development projects.”