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Senior Brotherhood leader catches hepatitis in Al-Aqrab prison

March 9, 2016 at 12:02 pm

Senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader Essam Al-Arian has caught hepatitis C in Cairo’s Al-Aqrab Prison, the Association of al-Aqrab Prison Detainees’ Families said yesterday.

According to the Anadolu Agency, the association said: “Al-Arian likely caught the disease due to the prison clinic’s use of infected tools, which lack sterilisation and basic safety rules.”

The association reported a number of the Brotherhood leaders in the same prison saying: “The prison administration bans personal hygiene needs and obliges the prisoners to use the same razer and nail cutter.”

In a statement, the association warned that the prisoners are suffering “dangerous health conditions” and they are “subject to lethal viral diseases” that have been increasing due to their weakening immune systems as a result of malnutrition, lack of movement or exposure to daylight.

Prison authorities have banned all medicines including ointment and nutritional supplements from entering the jail. This has led to many prisoners suffering from anaemia, kidney failure and symptoms of unknown illnesses.

Al-Arian has been on hunger strike for a number of days.