Egypt: Warnings of attempts to poison Morsi's son in prison

The defence team of the family of the late Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi expressed severe concern over the safety of Morsi’s imprisoned son, Osama Morsi, and the constant threats he is subject to.

In a statement, the defence team called on the Egyptian authorities to make sure to treat the detainee Osama Morsi under international law.

The defence team added that there are real risks of poisoning Osama Morsi in prison, as the latter faces the same threats that his father faced before passing away.

The legal team also confirmed that Morsi’s son went on a hunger strike to draw attention to these life-threatening risks.

It indicated that former President Mohamed Morsi and his younger son, Abdullah, were killed by the authorities while demanding the United Nations to initiate an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

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Osama Morsi was arrested in his home in the city of Zagazigon 8 December 2016, for possession of a cold weapon, and was later charged with inciting violence.

Mohamed Morsi died during his trial last June due to a sudden heart attack, according to what the Egyptian authorities have announced at the time, while his younger son Abdullah died last September as a result of a sudden heart attack as well, according to his family’s lawyer.

Last November, UN experts said that the prison system in Egypt was responsible for Morsi’s death.

In a statement posted on the website of The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the experts confirmed that Mohamed Morsi was detained under what they referred to as “brutal” circumstances, especially during his five-year detention at Tora Prison (south of Cairo).

Experts suggested that these circumstances led directly to the death of Morsi, as the Egyptian authorities are still putting the health and lives of thousands of other prisoners at significant risk.