Press release
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored the deaths of Judge Sami Mahmoud Ali Abdel Rahim, former President of the Port Said Criminal Court, inside Badr Rehabilitation and Correctional Center, and former army officer Tarek Taha Abdel Salam Abu Al-Azm (53 years old), held in New Valley Prison on political charges. The deaths were attributed to deliberate medical negligence and the dire conditions of their detention.
– Judge’s death after health deterioration:
Judge Abdel Rahim passed away on Wednesday, September 4th, after his health deteriorated due to illness. He had been detained for two years on charges of accepting bribes, possessing weapons, and antiquities, among others, and had been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
It’s worth noting that while serving as the head of the Zagazig Criminal Court, Abdel Rahim had issued the death sentence for Adel Habara, later executed, and presided over several other high-profile cases, including the Arab Police Station Violence case in Port Said.
– Army officer’s death due to inhumane conditions:
On the other hand, Officer Abu Al-Azm passed away on Monday, September 2nd, due to the physical and psychological abuse, torture, and severe detention conditions he endured since his arrest in 2012.
CFJ reported that Abu Al-Azm experienced a high fever and fell into a coma in the days leading to his death. Despite repeated pleas from his cellmates, he was not provided with medical treatment or transferred to a hospital. His body was only taken to a government hospital after his death.
– Calls for accountability and improved detention conditions:
CFJ condemns these deaths and calls for an impartial, transparent, and expedited investigation into the circumstances and demands that those responsible be held accountable and prevented from escaping punishment.
CFJ further urges the Egyptian authorities to respect national laws on prison and detention center conditions, as well as the international treaties and conventions it has signed, which guarantee the basic human rights of those deprived of their liberty.
– 41 Deaths in Custody in 2024:
This incident brings the total number of deaths recorded by CFJ in Egyptian prisons and detention centers since the beginning of 2024 to 41. Accurate information about death cases during detention in Egypt can be obtained through the Justice Watch Archive service provided by CFJ, which contains information about more than 14,000 victims and over 30,000 violations. It also monitors violations inside more than 500 places of detention in Egypt.
