Ayman Soliman Permitted to Remain at Butler County Jail until July 30, Following second habeas status conference in district court.

JULY 24 PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: July 24, 2025

CONTACT:

Sheila Smith | [email protected]

Lynn Tramonte | [email protected]

NEW: Ayman Soliman Permitted to Remain at Butler County Jail until July 30, following second habeas status conference in district court.

Attorneys/Experts: U.S. Government’s Charges Would Label Everyone Who Embraces Democracy in Egypt a “Terrorist”

CLEVELAND ― Yesterday, Ayman Soliman’s attorneys appeared in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio for a status conference on his habeas case. The court extended the temporary restraining order on moving M. Soliman from Butler County Jail until July 30, after a second master calendar hearing is scheduled in Cleveland Immigration Court on July 29.

On July 22, Cleveland Immigration Judge Jennifer Riedthaler-Williams left bond proceedings open in the case of Ayman Soliman, pending additional briefing from both parties.

Ayman Soliman is the beloved and long-time Cincinnati Children’s Hospital chaplain who was abruptly arrested at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office after his asylum status was terminated. Mr. Soliman has been detained at the Butler County Jail since July 9.

“Adopting the U.S. government’s own logic, anyone promoting democracy or civil rights in Egypt after the 2013 coup faces a significant risk of being falsely accused of terrorism or undermining the state,” said Ahmed Elkady, a close friend of Ayman and native Egyptian. “These accusations are clearly baseless, including those against Ayman. This twisted prosecution—lacking any real evidence—of a man who has dedicated his life to helping others must end. Ayman worked for a charity organization in Egypt whose local branch was never accused of terrorism by the government and remains active, continuing to provide much-needed services in Ayman’s hometown to this day. Ayman has always been a person of faith and charity, demonstrated by his work as a journalist covering pro-democracy movements through the Arab spring in Egypt and Libya, his service as a prison and hospital chaplain, and now his ministry to those inside Butler County Jail. I’m proud to call Ayman my friend, and we all pray this nightmare will soon be over.”

The U.S. government is making a tortured argument — without evidence — about the beloved interfaith Imam’s as a humanitarian in Egypt, stating that Soliman’s membership and position on the board of a charitable organization, al-Gami’yya al-Shar’iyya(“GS”) years ago somehow tied him to the Muslim Brotherhood (MS). Neither GS nor MB have been designated terrorist organizations by the United States government, and Soliman has not been accused of any terrorist, criminal, or nefarious activity.

What’s more, Soliman’s life remains in danger if forced to return to Egypt, where he was tortured after assisting reporters covering the pro-democracy movement during the Arab Spring. Egypt is currently ruled by Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, whom President Trump has called his “favorite dictator.”

“The government’s assertions, although presented as fact, are actually a cascading series of layered and unsubstantiated assumptions. The government’s assumption stacking fails to meet its burden of proof,” said Franchel D. Daniel, Immigration Senior Staff Attorney with the Muslim Legal Fund of America.

Following are questions and answers about the government’s unsubstantiated, paltry accusations.

What is Al-Gam‘iyya al-Shar‘iyya (GS)?

Founded in 1912, GS is an Islamic social service and charitable network in Egypt with about 1,100 branches, serving millions annually through orphan care, healthcare, religious education, and community development. The Monshat Dahshur branch where Ayman served, located in the Giza governorate, is typical of its rural affiliates. Deeply engaged with social and humanitarian needs at the village level, GS functions in a decentralized manner in which funds are collected from the local community and distributed to local beneficiaries.

Al-Gam‘iyya al-Shar‘iyya, Monshat Dahshur branch continues to operate in Egypt today. Their Facebook page shows activities regarding food distribution in the month of Ramadan. This video, titled “The Kitchen of Al-Gam‘iyya al-Shar‘iyya, Monshat Dahshur” is captioned, “Ramadan, the month of generosity. Benefit others with your goodness.” GS provides purified water to the poor. For example, this video shows a water cleaning station in town. They also provide medical support through a clinic, and other services to help the needy and the poor in the town and its neighborhood. This video captures upgrades made to a charity hospital in Monshat Dahshur that included clinics as well as a 24/7 Emergency Room.

What is the Muslim Brotherhood?

The Muslim Brotherhood (al-Ikhwān al-Muslimūn) is a Sunni Islamist movement and political organization founded in Egypt in 1928. Over the past century, it has been one of the most influential socio-political movements in the modern Middle East. In Egypt, the Brotherhood has functioned as a religious, social, and political force — sometimes tolerated, often repressed. After the 2011 revolution, the Muslim Brotherhood won the majority in the Egyptian parliament and the presidency. In July 2013, the group was ousted from power and the military took over the country, leaving the group dismantled and fragmented in Turkey, Qatar, and the UK.

How is Al-Gam‘iyya al-Shar‘iyya (GS) connected to Muslim Brotherhood?

Following the 2013 military coup in Egypt, the Egyptian government froze assets of over 1,000 NGOs as part of a broader campaign by the government against organizations suspected of links to MB. This included 138 branches of Al-Gam‘iyya al-Shar‘iyya, but not the branch where Ayman used to volunteer. After legal reviews and audits, all the suspended branches were reinstated and the Egyptian State Council ruled that there are no ties between the GS and the Muslim Brotherhood.

The courts in Egypt also found that GS is a “purely charitable” organization, while any organization affiliated with MB in Egypt is outlawed and banned. The fact that GS, including the particular chapter with which Ayman was affiliated, remains in operation today is further evidence of its ongoing charitable mission and nonaffiliation with MB, a banned organization.

What evidence has the U.S. Government provided that Al-Gam‘iyya al-Shar‘iyya (GS) is actually connected to Muslim Brotherhood?

The U.S. government has not provided any actual evidence that Al-Gam‘iyya al-Shar‘iyya (GS) is (or was) connected to Muslim Brotherhood, that the specific chapter Ayman was part of is (or was) connected to Muslim Brotherhood, or that Ayman himself is (or was) connected to Muslim Brotherhood. Neither have they provided any evidence that Ayman ever planned or engaged in any criminal acts or acts of terrorism. Indeed, they have not even made any allegations to that effect.

The U.S. government has offered unsubstantiated and anecdotal information indicating that both GS and MB provided medical or charitable services within the same community. Additionally, it alleges that GS and MB had some members in common at some point — but not specifically Ayman.

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