Fears grow for British mother, 45, being held in Egyptian jail on 'trumped up charges designed to silence her sister'

Fears are growing for a British mother being held in an Egyptian prison on 'trumped up charges' designed to 'silence' her activist sister. Eman el-Shazly, 45, was taken from her mother's house in Cairo in the early hours of August 17. Just 24 hours before she was detained, Egyptian authorities allegedly 'ram-raided' the home and told her 'you need to tell your sister to stop', according to the Birmingham mother's husband, Zeesharn Moustapha. Security forces have also arrested Ms el-Shazly's two brothers and one of her sisters over what the mother's lawyer said were 'trumped up charges'. Mr Moustapha has now called on the British Government to 'get their heads out of their a***s' and intervene as Ms el-Shazly's condition worsens in prison. The Birmingham mother-of-four, of Handsworth Wood, had travelled to Cairo to look after her 68-year-old mother, who is sick and had been doing 18-hour round-trips to deliver Ms el-Shazly's brothers food as they had been detained.However, on August 16 security forces 'ram-raided' the elderly woman's home, where Ms el-Shazly had been staying, before warning her to stop her sister from criticising the Egyptian government in YouTube videos. Mr Moustapha claimed they 'went into the property and smashed the place up' before returning the next day to arrest the Birmingham mother – at which point she called her husband in distress to tell him 'they're coming to get me'. Eman el-Shazly, 45, is allegedly being held on 'trumped up charges' by Egyptian authorities over her sister's online political activismHe said the 45-year-old's mother and two nieces were permitted to see her and her detained sister on September 2. Mr Moustapha said: 'They only saw them for 15 minutes. For the first five to eight minutes, the officers who were there were just swearing at the family, pushing and shoving.'They were saying, "Is your sister going to stop now? Is she going to stop now?" They were goading the family, basically.'They were laughing at them, pushing them and shoving them physically. They just sat there in fear.'Mr Moustapha said the relatives were eventually able to exchange a few words with Ms el-Shazly and her sister – but claims both women appeared to be struggling physically and psychologically.He said: 'The two girls are a bit worse for wear. They're not eating properly and they've lost a lot of weight.'Their demeanour is that of a broken person. They just don't look good. I knew it was going to be worse to actually hear about her condition.'But to hear that they're pushing them, shoving them and goading them is just disgusting behaviour.' Ms el-Shazly is pictured here with her husband Zeesharn Moustapha, who is calling on the UK Government to intervene in her case He said the family had brought enough food to feed around 30 people in each of the women's cells.Mr Moustapha previously alleged that inmates are held in large groups, sleep on concrete floors and rely upon relatives to supply food.His mother-in-law now has four children in detention at the 10th Ramadan Rehabilitation Centre.He said: 'She was just in pieces on the phone. She's got four kids in there now, so she's obviously really struggling.'She's a broken woman now. We can only try to support her over the phone.'Mr Moustapha added that he feared travelling to Egypt himself because of the attention surrounding the case.He said: 'I think if I landed at the airport there, they'd probably just pick me up straight away. We've been going there four or five times a year for 20 years.'I fell in love with that country. We've had the time of our lives there. But obviously, with this problem now, it looks like I won't be going to Egypt again. It's just devastation. People are heartbroken.'Ms el-Shazly remains in pre-trial detention and Egyptian authorities accuse her of using social media to promote the ideas of a terrorist organisation and spreading false news or statements said to harm security and public order.Her UK lawyer, Arfan Rashid of Rashid Law, previously said he was unaware of any specific publication allegedly posted by the Birmingham mother or evidence that she had personally promoted such an organisation.Mr Rashid told the BBC: 'These are trumped up charges and an attempt by Egyptian authorities to silence a political activist in the UK – her sister.'In my opinion, there is ample and compelling evidence this is just punishment by proxy.'Meanwhile Ms el-Shazly's Egyptian lawyer opposed her continued detention at a hearing on August 30, but it was extended for another 15 days until around September 13.The mother has claimed that she has not been allowed to have a private face-to-face meeting with her lawyer.He said their only communication had taken place over a video link in the presence of the prosecutor responsible for the detention proceedings.The family and its lawyers believe Ms el-Shazly's detention is connected to the political activity of another sister living in Britain.Her husband described the case as 'illegal collective punishment' but said his immediate focus was securing intervention from the British Government.He said: 'We're waiting for the Government to do something about it, or try to at least make a public comment.'This is where we need the UK Government and human-rights organisations. We need these big people involved.'The British Government has warned that people could face arrest over certain online activity. Its website states: 'Political parties, civil society organisations and media companies, as well as individual bloggers, human rights lawyers and activists, are allowed to form and operate under strict rules and conditions. 'However, those that are considered to be undertaking activities deemed a risk to national security by the Egyptian authorities can face closure, harassment, arrest and detention. 'Authorities continue to target, arrest and detain political opponents, activists and commentators. The press and social media are closely monitored by the authorities.'An FCDO spokesman said: 'We are supporting the family of a British national detained in Egypt and are in contact with the authorities.' Do YOU have a story? Email William.G.Hallowell@dailymail.co.uk