Egyptian anger after mysterious death of Sisi critic

There have been widespread calls for a probe into the mysterious death of Ayman Hadhoud, an economist critical of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s economic policies.

Hadhoud, 48, was a founding member of the liberal Reform and Development Party. Before being declared dead, he had been missing since early February, amid fears that he was tortured in custody.

According to official records, Hadhoud went missing on 6 February and died on 6 March while being held at Cairo’s Abbasiya Mental Health Hospital, but his body was not handed to his relatives till 9 April.

“The party, friends and brothers of Hadhoud at first preferred not to publicise his temporary health conditions out of respect for privacy,” the Reform and Development Party said in a statement.

The statement also stated that the party “awaits the final findings of the public prosecuter’s investigation in order to decide the legal accountability if there is medical or administrative negligence in the hospital.”

Hadhoud’s family, the statement said, was not notified about his admission to the hospital and staff at the centre denied that he was receiving treatment there on more than one occasion.

Egyptians believe he was a victim of “forced disappearance” by authorities.

READ: Egypt state-backed body says it is tracking probe into researcher’s death