The Committee for Justice (CFJ) stated that on Nelson Mandela International Day, established by the United Nations to honor his struggle for justice and freedom, we recall his efforts as a devoted defender of human rights and as a political prisoner who spent 27 years behind bars without ever abandoning his principles.
This day represents an opportunity to shed light on prison conditions around the world, and the urgent need to transform places of detention from centers of violence and torture into institutions of reform and rehabilitation that respect human dignity. The day has been reinforced by the “Mandela Rules,” or the “Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners,” which consist of 122 rules aiming to ensure that prisoners across all countries are treated in a manner consistent with their humanity, regardless of the crimes they may have committed.
These rules are based on general principles stipulating that those deprived of their liberty must be treated with the respect due to their inherent dignity and value as human beings. They must not be subjected to torture or inhuman treatment, and their daily lives should be regulated, including their rights to food, water, hygiene, and other basic needs.
In this context, the conditions of prisons in Egypt have emerged as a grave concern, in light of recurring reports of torture, ill-treatment, medical neglect, overcrowding, and inhumane detention conditions. During the final days of the first half of the year 2025, Badr 3 Prison in Egypt witnessed blatant violations, where political detainees have lived in complete isolation for years, deprived of visits, medical care, outdoor exercise, and human interaction.
The tragedy has recently escalated with at least 15 suicide attempts recorded within less than two weeks. Additionally, the number of deaths documented by the CFJ during this period — the first half of the current year — reached 18 cases within prisons and detention centers, following the monitoring of 50 deaths throughout the previous year, 2024.
The CFJ views the current situation in Egyptian prisons and detention facilities — particularly Badr 3 Prison — as a flagrant violation of the Mandela Rules and a serious regression from the international obligations that the Egyptian state has committed to under human rights treaties. Mass suicide attempts or the increasing death toll inside detention centers cannot be seen except as a direct result of systematically applied inhumane punitive policies, reflecting a clear absence of any will for reform or accountability.
Accordingly, the CFJ calls for an independent and transparent investigation into the violations committed inside Badr 3 Prison and other detention facilities, allowing human rights organizations and international bodies access to prisons to assess the conditions of detainees, ensuring the basic rights of prisoners without discrimination — especially regarding healthcare, communication with family members, and the right to a fair trial — and demanding the immediate release of all individuals detained solely due to their opinions or peaceful activism.
