News briefing
By: Committee for Justice
Geneva: January 9, 2024
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has raised alarm over the medical deterioration of Abdel Hamid Younis Siam, 21-year-old, Egyptian student detained for over two years in connection with a political case. Siam, a first-year student at the Faculty of Sharia and Law, is grappling with Mediterranean fever, a condition requiring specialized medical attention that is currently unavailable in the subpar living conditions of Egyptian detention facilities.
In addition to his suffering from Mediterranean fever, Siam is contending with hemorrhoids, a dislocated left shoulder, and toenails embedded in flesh, necessitating urgent surgical intervention. Despite these pressing health concerns, Siam’s pretrial detention, which commenced on 8/1/2021, has been repeatedly renewed, a clear violation of Egyptian Pretrial Detention Law, which stipulates a maximum pretrial detention period of two years.
CFJ asserts that Siam’s case is emblematic of the broader systemic issues within Egyptian detention facilities and prisons, where thousands endure inhumane living conditions that contravene Egypt’s international and human rights commitments. The committee calls on Egyptian authorities to cease the violations against Siam, release him, ensuring living conditions and medical treatment commensurate with his health requirements.
Furthermore, CFJ urges an end to the misuse of pretrial detention as a tool against political opponents. The committee demands the immediate release of Abdel Hamid Younis Siam and others who have surpassed the lawful duration of pretrial detention, emphasizing the need for adherence to international standards and human rights principles.
