Press release
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored the death of political detainee Hassan Ibrahim Ghamry, a former employee of the Ministry of Agriculture from Abu Hammad city in Sharqia Governorate, on Monday, August 19th, at Borg El Arab Prison Hospital. His health had deteriorated due to deliberate medical neglect.
– Deliberate Medical Neglect:
Ghamry had been suffering from hepatitis for five years, and his condition worsened continually due to poor detention conditions and the lack of appropriate medical care within the prison.
Despite the noticeable decline in his health, the administration of Borg El Arab Prison and the Prison Authority repeatedly denied his family’s requests to have him treated at a specialized hospital at their own expense.
As a result of this ongoing refusal, his condition deteriorated to the point of complete organ failure. He was transferred to the hospital two months before his death, but his condition was critical, and doctors were unable to save him.
During his hospital stay, authorities prevented visits and only allowed his family to see him for two minutes while he was on his deathbed.
– Concerns About Harsh Conditions for Political Detainees in Egypt:
CFJ stated that this incident raises renewed concerns about the harsh conditions faced by political detainees in Egyptian prisons, particularly regarding medical neglect and the failure to provide necessary healthcare.
This situation strengthens local and international calls to improve prison conditions and ensure detainees’ rights to adequate healthcare.
CFJ also calls for a neutral and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ghamry’s death, holding those responsible for the deliberate medical neglect accountable, and preventing them from evading justice.
– 37 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 37. 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.