Egyptian authorities continue their relentless campaign against political opposition, with prominent politician and former presidential candidate Dr Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh entering his eighth consecutive year in solitary confinement under conditions that constitute severe human rights violations. His prolonged isolation, imposed without legal justification, reflects a broader pattern of systematic repression aimed at silencing opposition figures and crushing political dissent in Egypt.
Since his arrest on 14 February 2018, following his return from London, Aboul Fotouh has been held in solitary confinement between Al-Aqrab Prison and Badr Rehabilitation Centre, deprived of basic rights, adequate medical care, and human contact. Despite being 70 years old and suffering from multiple chronic health conditions, Egyptian authorities have refused to grant him access to essential healthcare, a clear demonstration of their deliberate policy of neglect and psychological torture.
Under Egyptian law, solitary confinement should not exceed 30 days, yet Aboul Fotouh has been isolated for over seven years, in direct violation of domestic and international human rights standards. His continued detention under these extreme conditions cannot be justified under any legal pretext, serving instead as a punitive measure designed to break his spirit and erase his presence from public life. In April 2022, his legal team filed an appeal demanding an end to his solitary confinement and the restoration of his fundamental rights, including the right to exercise, communicate with his family, and receive medical treatment, yet the court swiftly rejected the appeal, reinforcing the regime’s deliberate efforts to keep him in total isolation.
A month later, in May 2022, an Emergency State Security Court sentenced him to 15 years in prison in a trial that lacked even the most basic guarantees of fairness. The charges of “leading a terrorist organisation,” “spreading false news,” and “possession of weapons” were vague, unsubstantiated, and politically motivated. His conviction by a special court whose rulings cannot be appealed underscores the extent to which Egyptian authorities manipulate the judiciary to eliminate political opponents and maintain absolute control over public discourse.
Over the years, Aboul Fotouh’s health has deteriorated significantly, suffering from recurrent heart attacks, respiratory issues, and severe spinal problems, yet prison authorities continue to deny him life-saving medical care, exposing him to grave and potentially fatal health risks. His prolonged isolation and medical neglect amount to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, in flagrant violation of international human rights conventions.
The continued detention of Aboul Fotouh is part of a wider campaign of political persecution orchestrated by the Egyptian regime, which has systematically erased opposition voices, criminalised dissent, and weaponised the judiciary to crush political resistance. The mass imprisonment of activists, journalists, and opposition leaders has become the defining feature of Egypt’s political landscape, where freedom of speech and the right to peaceful political participation no longer exist. His case is not an isolated incident but a stark reminder of the brutal realities faced by thousands of political detainees languishing in Egyptian prisons under appalling and unlawful conditions.
The international community cannot continue turning a blind eye to these abuses. Aboul Fotouh’s detention is a glaring example of Egypt’s escalating crackdown on fundamental freedoms, and his immediate release must be demanded with urgency. The widespread and systematic violations committed against political prisoners in Egypt require decisive international action, including targeted sanctions against those responsible for the mass repression of opposition figures. Failure to act will only embolden the regime to further entrench its authoritarian rule, at the cost of countless lives and the complete annihilation of political freedoms in Egypt.
