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Egypt: CFJ Records Fourth Death in Custody of 2025 Due to Medical Negligence

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On Sunday, January 19, 2025, the Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored a new death in custody in Egyptian prisons and detention centers. This death involved a political detainee, Ahmed Gaber, who passed away at Alexandria University Hospital.

Gaber, a 42-year-old chemical engineer, was married and a father of two. He was arbitrarily arrested in March 2015 along with his wife and child, though his wife and child were released a few days after their detention.

– Enforced Disappearance and Torture:

Gaber was subjected to enforced disappearance for seven days, during which he was severely tortured at State Security facilities. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment in case no. 108 of Alexandria Military Felonies.

During his detention, Gaber was diagnosed with a brain tumor, but medical negligence prevented him from receiving proper treatment. Despite his worsening condition, he was transferred from Borg El Arab Prison to New Valley Prison, where he faced further medical neglect, exacerbating his health issues. Although he underwent surgery, deliberate disregard for his medical condition led to further deterioration.

His condition worsened as he developed a fever and fell into a coma, prompting his transfer to an external hospital. Gaber eventually passed away at Alexandria University Hospital.

– Condemnation and Calls for Accountability:

CFJ condemns the death of Ahmed Gaber and calls for a neutral, transparent, and prompt investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The committee also demands that those responsible be held accountable to prevent impunity. The committee stresses the need for serious measures to ensure the rights of political detainees and to put an end to human rights violations in Egyptian prisons and detention facilities.

This death marks the fourth such case reported by CFJ since the beginning of 2025 inside prisons and detention facilities in Egypt, following the documentation of 50 deaths in 2024.

Comprehensive information on deaths in detention in Egypt is available through the “Justice Watch Archive,” a service offered by the Committee for Justice. This archive includes detailed data on over 14,000 victims, more than 30,000 violations, and monitors abuses across more than 500 detention centers in Egypt.

For more information and media requests or inquiries, please get in touch with us (+41229403538 / media@cfjustice.org)

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