Press release
Geneva – July 9, 2024
Egypt is currently grappling with a persistent power outage crisis that has impacted all sectors of society. The government has struggled to address the issue, with reports suggesting that the crisis could continue into early 2025 without resolution. One of the most affected groups are prisoners, particularly those detained on political charges.
Due to the overcrowding in prisons and detention facilities, the continuous power outages pose “catastrophic” or even “deadly” risks, especially for inmates with chronic illnesses or the elderly.
Rising death toll:
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the worsening effects of this crisis on prisoners. The heat of the summer has led to an increase in deaths within detention facilities. In June 2024 alone, seven deaths were recorded in police stations and prisons, a sharp rise from previous months. For comparison, June 2023 saw only four deaths.
Among the fatalities were two pretrial detainees at Kafr El Dawwar Police Station in Beheira, a political detainee named Ahmed Yousef Abdel-Lah El Sayed (40) at Badr 1 Prison, and political detainee Mohamed Askar (40) at Gamasa Prison. Additionally, two criminal detainees, Maki Mostafa Maki (22) and Shihab Ahmed Kahla (25), died in police stations in Assiut and Imbaba, respectively. Kahla and others were reportedly punished with metal restraints and left in overcrowded cells following a fight.
CFJ also reported the suicide of a Russian woman held in the Tenth of Ramadan Women’s Prison in Sharqia. Her deteriorating mental state, attributed to harsh detention conditions, led her to take her own life. This incident coincided with a sudden transfer of prison officers, the reasons for which remain unclear.
Escalating crisis:
Ahmed Mefreh, the Executive Director of CFJ emphasized that the crisis is in its early stages and is likely to worsen, particularly for political detainees. Cells now hold triple their intended capacity without adequate ventilation or fans, and power outages can last over six hours daily. Mefreh called for urgent action to pressure Egyptian authorities into improving living conditions or using legal alternatives to pretrial detention.
CFJ also noted a hunger strike by political detainees at Badr 1 Prison in protest of their living conditions. The prison administration responded with a crackdown, transferring many strikers to other facilities as punishment.
These conditions point to a “scorching summer” of events and fatalities due to the government’s poor handling of the power crisis, further exacerbated by the harsh treatment of political prisoners.
Seeking solutions:
CFJ urges the Egyptian authorities to provide alternatives to the power outages in detention facilities, such as backup generators, considering these places are vital and outages could lead to catastrophic outcomes like deaths or worsening illnesses, especially for respiratory patients.
CFJ also calls on the international community to pressure Egypt into ensuring humane living conditions for all detainees, without discrimination based on political or ideological beliefs.
