Amnesty International urges Egypt to halt punishment against detainees from 10th of Ramadan Prison due to a recent hunger strike protesting poor conditions. The prisoners demand humane treatment and the release of long-held pretrial detainees. In retaliation, the authorities have transferred detainees to harsher prisons and confiscated their belongings, undermining claims of improved detention conditions.
Amnesty International has called on Egyptian authorities to cease reprisals against prisoners at 10th of Ramadan Prison, who recently engaged in a hunger strike protesting their arbitrary detention. Detainees began their protest in January, highlighting the inhumane conditions of their confinement and demanding the release of those held in pretrial detention exceeding six months, access to outdoor exercise, full visitation rights, and the removal of an alleged abusive National Security Agency officer.
Following the strike, at least three detainees were reportedly transferred to prisons known for their harsh conditions as punishment, alongside the confiscation of their personal belongings. Mahmoud Shalaby, the Egypt Researcher at Amnesty International, stated, “Instead of addressing the abysmal detention conditions in the 10th of Ramadan Prison, the authorities are trying to silence prisoners protesting these conditions by punishing them.” He emphasized the need for the Egyptian government to improve detainee conditions and allow international observers access to detention centers.
Shalaby urged adherence to the Nelson Mandela Rules, aligning detention conditions with international law. He noted that the government must also respond to long-standing requests from both Amnesty International and Egyptian human rights defenders for unhindered access to monitor prison conditions. Family members of transferred detainees revealed that their relatives were moved to distant prisons as a tactic of internal exile, commonly used against prisoners and their families.
Reports indicate that one detainee was denied necessary medical treatment and transferred to another prison for attempting to seek assistance from his political party. The 10th of Ramadan Prison was inaugurated in 2023 under the pretext of improving detention conditions, coinciding with extensive detentions of political opposers amid the regime of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, following the 2013 coup.
Following a statement from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights regarding the dire conditions at the prison, investigations were initiated into the executive director of EIPR for allegedly spreading misinformation and supporting terrorism. Amnesty International’s previous research concludes that prisoners of conscience and other political detainees in Egypt face torture and denial of healthcare, ostensibly as punishment for their dissent.
The situation at 10th of Ramadan Prison exemplifies the ongoing human rights abuses in Egypt under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s regime. Despite the government’s claims of reform, detainees continue to face severe conditions and retaliatory measures for protesting their treatment. The demand for humane treatment and oversight from international observers remains imperative for ensuring justice and accountability in Egyptian prisons.
Original Source: www.newarab.com
