Halawa siblings to be detained for further 45 days

Four Irish citizens detained during unrest in Cairo in August have been told they will be held for a further 45 days.

It is understood Omaima, Fatima and Somaia Halawa – aged in their 20s – and their brother Ebraheem (17) were brought before a prosecutor again at the weekend.

The Halawa siblings have now been detained for over six weeks.

They have been in custody since they were rounded up with scores of others on August 17th after a stand-off between security forces and supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi at Cairo’s al-Fath mosque.

Their sister Nosayba, who is in Dublin, said her family have applied for an appeal against their detention, but she does not know whether or not their appeal will be allowed to be heard.

The family has been told the three sisters are being held at Al-Qanatir prison in Cairo, while Ebraheem is being detained at Al-Salam Central Security Forces camp.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said the detention was “a matter of ongoing concern” for the Government. The Irish embassy in Cairo was in contact with the Halawa family, he said.