Abdelrahman Abbas has raised the alarm about his brother, Mohamed Abbas Elmaghraby, who, at the time of writing, is alleged to suffer severe medical issues whilst detained in Iran.
*Reported with express permission of the family.
Elmaghraby, an Egyptian citizen, was Chief Officer on the chemical tanker Sana when he was arrested within UAE territorial waters off the Port of Hamriyah in December 2023. Under armed threat, he and his colleagues were taken to Abu Musa Island, then Bandar Lengeh, and finally to Bandar Abbas, where they were imprisoned.
“They were charged without legal representation, and only two months after their arrest did the company owner appoint a lawyer for them,” says his brother. “After nine months of detention, they were sentenced and fined. However, in March 2024 , the Iranian court acquitted them of all charges. Despite this, the Revolutionary Guard has refused to implement the court’s release order unless a large payment is made.”
The captain and first and second officers are the only remaining crew members still imprisoned. “The shipowner has completely abandoned them, stopped paying their salaries since December 2023, and refuses to provide any financial or legal support. We have learned that he [the shipowner] even collected the crew’s insurance money and purchased a new vessel, leaving them behind to face this ordeal alone.”
Inside Bandar Abbas Central Prison, Elmaghraby’s health has severely deteriorated. He has suffered from repeated heart attacks as well as infectious skin diseases due to the poor hygiene and overcrowded conditions.
“We have medical reports confirming his conditions, and the Egyptian Embassy in Tehran is fully aware and has attempted to intervene on medical grounds,” says his brother.
“My brother is not a criminal. He is a seafarer who was performing his duty when he was taken at gunpoint. He poses no threat to society and should not be suffering under such unjust circumstances.”
Elmaghraby’s family, including his wife and four children, are struggling financially without his support. “We are constantly anxious and heartbroken. My brother’s mental health has also worsened severely. He has become depressed due to the long and unjust detention.
“We have been trying to send him small amounts of money whenever possible so that he can buy food and basic needs inside prison. Sometimes this money is also used to ensure he is not mistreated by the guards.”
The family has contacted the Egyptian and UAE governments (as the vessel was under the UAE flag at the time of the arrests). The Egyptian Embassy visits Elmaghraby occasionally to check on his condition, says his brother, but there has been no developments regarding his release.
“After almost two years of detention, our entire family has been destroyed emotionally and financially. He also deserves to receive his unpaid wages and proper compensation for what he has endured, especially since he has done nothing wrong or illegal.”
David Hammond Esq., Founder, Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) says unjust criminalisation is one of the most pressing problems currently faced by seafarers. “The failure of individual companies and individual governments must be a problem owned by everyone in the industry. While there is a continued lack of co-ordination and agreement on how the issues should be dealt with, individuals face horrific suffering, and all those working on the frontline of shipping are at risk.”
Ends.
Source: Human Rights at Sea 2025. Reporting by Wendy Laursen.
AI. AI was not used in the drafting of this article.
Photo Credit: Abdelrahman Abbas.
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