EGYPT: 1,500 POLITICAL DETAINEES CONTINUE HUNGER STRIKE IN PRISON

Cairo, 2 Jumadil Awal 1435/4 March 2014 (MINA) – At least 1,500 political prisoners in Abu Zaabal Prison in Qalyoubia governorate continued their hunger strike for the second day in protest against maltreatment by prison administration,Rassd news reported.

The father of one of the prisoners confirmed that many prisoners are suffering medical conditions but have no access to proper medical care. He added that his son had been imprisoned without any charges against him, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reported as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

Approximately 22,000 anti-coup protesters have been detained since the July 3, 2013 military coup.

Rights groups condemned the inhumane conditions suffered by Egyptian prisoners after the coup. The Arab Organisation for Human Rights (AOHR) said in a recent press release that it documented the death of 48 prisoners out of torture in Egyptian prisons since the coup.

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Female detainees frequently complained of sexual assaults while in custody, one of them Ayat Hamada, a student of Al-Azhar University, who was released recently.

Anti-coup alliance stressed out that its party to continue peacefull protest demanding the release of its freely elected president Mohamed Morsi as well as thousands other who were arrested for protesting. (T/P03/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)