Abdallah Assem, known as the young inventor who was representing Egypt in the Intel Global Challenge contest in the United States, did not return home on Sunday with the rest of the Egyptian delegation, fearing he would be arrested, according to his father.
“My son stayed in the United States without his passport,” his father said, explaining that the passport was with the delegation officials.
He added that his son did not score well in the contest because he did not have time to take all the equipment he needed as he was detained for a long while. “He had to submit a handwritten presentation,” he said.
“If I return to Egypt I will go to prison, I will be mistreated and I will have no rights whatsoever just like many others,” Assem said.
Cairo Airport authorities had not allowed Abdallah to board the plane while leaving although he was not on the travel ban list. A day later, the interior minister allowed him to travel to participate in the contest.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
