The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the deaths of five detainees in different places of detention in Egypt over the course of three days, in incidents that have given rise to allegations in some cases concerning poor detention conditions or torture, while the authorities denied such allegations in one case and provided an official account of the cause of death.
According to CFJ’s documentation, Ayman Ramzy Boutros (54 years old), a librarian, died inside Rod El‑Farag Police Station after being detained on 3 June 2026, before his death was announced on 27 June 2026. He had faced charges related to contempt of the Christian religion, and available information indicates that he had previously been subject to disciplinary proceedings and trial in 2014 on allegations related to the dissemination of atheist views.
The Committee also documented the deaths of two detainees inside the detention facility of Al‑Laban Police Station in Alexandria Governorate, including Adel Khalaf (45 years old), amid reports of severe overcrowding, high temperatures, and poor ventilation within the detention cell. Information indicated that approximately 52 detainees were being held in a single cell equipped with only two ventilation fans, while testimonies circulated alleging that detainees had cried out for help because of suffocation prior to the two deaths.
CFJ further documented the death of wrestler Gamal Abdel Nasser (27 years old) while in detention on 28 June 2026. Members of his family and friends raised allegations on social media that he had been subjected to torture before his death, citing injuries they claimed were visible on his body. The Ministry of Interior, however, denied these allegations and stated that the deceased had been held in pretrial detention in connection with a case involving possession of narcotic substances for the purpose of trafficking. According to the Ministry, he suffered a medical emergency and was transferred to hospital, where he died while receiving treatment. The Ministry further stated that the medical report found no injuries on the body and that examinations did not indicate that he had been subjected to any assault while in detention.
The Committee also documented the death of detainee Ibrahim Mohamed Ahmed Abdallah Al‑Mahdi, known as “Fares Reda,” inside Borg El‑Arab Prison on 26 June 2026. According to information published by a member of his family, relatives were informed that the cause of death was a “sudden collapse.” The family, however, stated that they observed marks on the body which they believed raised suspicions of torture, and consequently refused to receive the body before the circumstances of the death were clarified. These allegations are based on the family’s account, and no official statement has yet been issued explaining the circumstances of the death or the outcome of any investigation into the case.
With these cases, the number of deaths documented by the Committee for Justice since the beginning of 2026 inside prisons and detention facilities in Egypt has risen to 33 deaths, following the documentation of 60 deaths during 2025.