Malaysia Arrests Egyptian Student for Gaza Solidarity Message on Embassy Wall

Malaysian authorities have arrested Marwan Mohamed Magdy, an Egyptian student residing in Malaysia and studying aerospace engineering at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), after he wrote pro-Gaza slogans condemning Israel’s blockade on the walls of the Egyptian embassy in Kuala Lumpur last Tuesday.

According to human rights sources, Marwan is expected to be brought before the Malaysian Public Prosecutor in the coming days. There is growing concern that he may face forced deportation to Egypt following an unannounced request by the Egyptian embassy. His friends fear that he could be subjected to serious national security charges if returned, potentially endangering his life.

Part of a Growing Global Protest

This incident comes amid a widening wave of international solidarity with Gaza, particularly in response to the near-total closure of the Rafah border crossing by Egypt. The blockade has exacerbated the humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Gaza Strip, pushing the population to the brink of starvation.

In recent weeks, several European capitals have witnessed protest actions in front of Egyptian embassies, part of a grassroots initiative launched by activists under the banner:

“Siege of Egyptian Embassies.”

The campaign seeks to hold Egyptian authorities accountable for their role in the Gaza blockade, citing their closure of the Rafah crossing and obstruction of humanitarian aid and relief teams.

Marwan expressed his solidarity with the campaign by writing slogans demanding the immediate reopening of Rafah Crossing, but was arrested by Malaysian authorities on the spot.

A Troubling Pattern in Malaysia

The arrest has raised serious alarm given Malaysia’s history of extraditing Egyptian dissidents, sometimes under the radar and without due legal process. In previous years, several Egyptians were deported to Cairo, where they were subjected to forced disappearances, torture, or inhumane imprisonment, according to human rights reports.

Legal experts and human rights organisations stress that handing over political activists to regimes known for torture and unfair trials constitutes a clear violation of international law — especially the UN Refugee Convention and basic human rights protections.

A Dangerous Precedent

Rights groups have warned that the forcible deportation of Marwan Mohamed Magdy would mark a dangerous precedent and send a chilling message about Malaysia’s commitment to freedom of expression.

Activists have called on the Malaysian government to: