The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented that Hazem Mohamed Farouk, the unionist and defender of dentists’ rights, has been deprived of family visits for more than 8 years and is facing deliberate denial of medical care.
Dr. Hazem was held in solitary confinement in Al-Aqrab 1 Prison from the time of his arrest, where visits were first allowed once a month, then every three months, before being completely banned 8 years ago. He has not seen or met his family since. He is currently being held in Badr Correctional and Rehabilitation Center (Badr 3).
His family stated that he is facing severe mistreatment and medical neglect. He suffers from chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and a slipped disc, and is often denied access to doctors or prevented from receiving his prescribed medications.
Dr. Hazem was arrested from his home in August 2013, subjected to enforced disappearance for a period, and charged in several cases, including the “Hamas espionage case,” the “Wadi El-Natrun prison break case,” and the “torture of a lawyer during the January 25 events” case.
He received sentences of 15 years in prison in the torture case, 10 years of hard labor in the espionage case, and life imprisonment in the Wadi El-Natrun case.
Unionist Dr. Hazem Farouk was born on January 17, 1965, in Cairo Governorate. He is 60 years old and a former Member of Parliament. He was elected as a committee member of the Dental Syndicate Council in 1992 and then the head of the Syndicate of Dentists after the January 25 Revolution. He is a dentist specializing in oral and maxillofacial surgery, holding a Bachelor’s in Dentistry and Oral Surgery (Cairo University) and a Master’s in Oral Surgery and Anesthesiology (Cairo University). His last professional position was as an oral and maxillofacial surgery specialist at El-Sahel Teaching Hospital.
He had been a member of the Syndicate of Dentists since 1992, making him one of the longest-standing union voices in the field. He led the syndicate during a critical period marked by widespread demands for professional and structural reforms in the healthcare sector. He played a prominent role in advocating for dentists’ rights, drafting regulatory bylaws within the syndicate, and contributing to the development of training and continuing education programs.
CFJ calls for restoring visitation rights for Dr. Hazem Farouk and obliging the Ministry of Interior and the Prison Authority to uphold the provisions of the law regulating this matter, particularly Prison Law No. 396 of 1956 and its amendments. Article 38 stipulates that every convicted person has the right to correspondence and paid phone calls, and that their relatives may visit them twice a month under the supervision of the prison administration and in accordance with set regulations.
The CFJ also stresses the need to end violations against Farouk, stop medical neglect, and comply with the Prison Authority’s regulations as well as local and international standards. This includes conducting regular medical examinations and providing appropriate treatment to prevent further deterioration of his health, in accordance with Article 33 of the Prison Law, which states: “The prison administration is responsible for providing healthcare to prisoners, including regular examinations and necessary treatment.” Article 36 adds: “The prisoner may be transferred to an external hospital if his health condition requires it, based on a medical report.”
