Report: 32 detainees died in Egypt's prisons this year

Some 32 detainees have died in Egyptian prisons this year, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK said yesterday.

In a press release , the organisation said the number of Egyptian detainees who have died in prison continues to rise due to the violations against them, most notably the deliberate medical negligence and the deplorable detention conditions they are held under.

AOHR cited the death of Hassan Abdullah Hassan who suffered a sudden heart attack in his prison cell in Wadi El-Natrun Prison. The 63-year-old political detainee came from the province of Suez.  He was transferred to hospital and pronounced dead. His family asserted that he was in good health prior to his detention.

Political detainee Shaaban Fouad also died inside his cell in Shbein Elkoum Deportations Prison on Monday after his health deteriorated in prison after he contracted the coronavirus.

Fouad was from a village in the Monoufia province. He has been arrested several times, including on 8 January, after which he remained forcibly disappeared for up to 22 days.

The human rights organisation pointed out that six detainees died in various prisons and detention centres in August alone

Egyptian prisons and detention centres are witnessing a steady rise in the number of deaths, while the authorities do not allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to inspect prison conditions.

READ: UN: Egypt received most communications from UN on enforced disappearances globally