Over the past 24 hours, two political prisoners died in Egyptian prisons due to deliberate medical negligence and poor detention conditions.
Ali Abdullah Abdul Ghaffar Ali, 56, breathed his last in Al-Qanater Men’s Prison after long-suffering from diabetes, which led to the amputation of part of his leg.
Ali, from Alexandria Governorate, was directing a company working in the field of photocopiers before his arrest in May 2021.
Ali’s death came only a few hours after the death of political detainee Al-Hadi Omran, who died directly in Wadi Al-Natroun prison.
His family was informed of his death due to a ‘sudden health crisis.’
Omran, from Al-Adwa town in Sharkia Governorate, was working as a teacher before his arrest on October 25, 2016. He was held in 430 Wadi Al-Natroun prison, where he breathed his last after suffering from high blood pressure and a severe health crisis, causing him serious fainting.
His cellmates knocked on the doors for more than an hour and called for help before it was too late. He was later transferred to the prison hospital, where he was proclaimed dead.
Inhumane detention conditions have long plagued Egypt’s prisons, adversely affecting prisoners’ rights to adequate medical treatment and health care.
Ali and Omran’s deaths raised the total number of those who have died in custody since the start of the year to 31 due to ill-treatment, medical negligence, poor detention conditions, and torture.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.
