EOHR express its deep concern regarding the violation of the right of the prisoners to communicate with their families.

EOHR expresses its deep concern regarding the violation of the rights of prisoners to communicate with their families. EOHR expresses deep concern regarding the violation of the rights of prisoners to communicate with their families, both by correspondence and personal visits. EOHR received information that visits were banned to political detainees, particularly members of the El Gehad group and the Takfeer and Hegra group. Visits were also banned for detainees in the Heavily Guarded Abou Za’baal, Damnhour and El Fayoum prisons. Visits have been banned since May 2003, allegedly for security reasons.

EOHR received information that on 18/3/2002 the prison’s administration of Heavily Gaurded prisons banned families from visiting prisoners or bringing them food. At the same time, visits were banned in Damnhour and El Fayoum prisons for political detainees from the El Gehad group, as well as the Takfeer and Hegra group. On 1/7/2003, visits were allowed in Section 1 of the Heavily Gaurded Abou Za’baal prison. However, visits are still banned in the Damnhour and El Fayoum prisons at the time of this press release.

EOHR considers this ban on visits one of the repeated violations of prisoners’ rights as guaranteed by national legislation and international instruments. Article 38f of Law No. 396 of 1965 of the internal regulations of prisons states that pre-trial and convicted detainees have the right to communicate with their families and receive visits. Also, Article 60 of the internal regulations of prisons No. 79 of 1961 states that those imprisoned for short periods and pre-trial detainees have the right to communicate with their families at any time, and they are allowed one visit a week except on Fridays and national holidays unless the public prosecutor or judge has other reasons for banning visits according to Article 141 of the criminal procedures code. This right is also mentioned in Rule No. 37 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners which states that, “Prisoners shall be allowed under necessary supervision to communicate with their family and reputable friends at regular intervals, both by correspondence and receiving visits.”

EOHR is deeply concerned regarding these violations of prisoner’s visitation rights, which is causing negative psychological effects on the detainees and their families. In this regard, EOHR calls upon the Ministry of Interior to allow visits in these prisons and to guarantee the rights of prisoners and detainees to contact the outside world in accordance with national legislation and international instruments concerning the rights of prisoners and detainees.