The administration of the police station did not isolate detainees who showed symptoms of infection, or transfer them to hospitals, or take their samples for testing.
Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) stated that Egyptian detainees are facing a potential threat due to the death of a detainee who showed symptoms of infection with Coronavirus. The detainee died after many days of suffering inside an overcrowded cell.
Ragab Al-Naggar died on Thursday evening 07 May 2020, a few hours after being transferred to Belbis Public Hospital.
Al-Naggar suffered a fever and breathing difficulty; however the administration of the police station dealt vert recklessly with his situation and sent him to hospital when it was too late.
Lawyers of a number of detainees in Belbis Police Station stated that 11 detainees showed the same symptoms suffered by the deceased detainee. This cause great panic among the detainees who are kept in dirty and overcrowded cells.
The police station’s administration did not separate the sick detainees or transfer them to hospital or take their samples for testing.
AOHR UK stressed that the recommendations of the World Health Organization in fighting the Corona pandemic are still being ignored by the Egyptian regime especially with regards to reducing the number of detainees in places of detention, which threatens the lives of detainees and the entire Egyptian society.
AOHR UK called on the international community and the United Nation’s Secretary General to take an urgent action to save the lives of detainees during the pandemic which is threatening Egypt and the whole world.
