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Detainee life in danger:
EOHR demands release of Essam Abdel Razeq
29/4/2004
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) is deeply concerned by information that the life of detainee Essam Abdel Razeq Abdel Aal has been put in danger by the deterioration in his health.
Abdel Aal, who is in his thirties, was detained on the 4/5/1994 in Wadi el-Gadid Prison.
During his detainment he developed high blood pressure and suffered Tuberculosis and Hepatitis C. A recent medical examination conducted by the Prison's doctor Mohamed Moustafa Ali revealed that Abdel Aal has dangerously high blood pressure which could lead to his developing potentially fatal angina.
This is in addition to asthma and problems with breathing.
In his report Dr Ali attributes the majority of these illnesses to the length of time Abdel Aal has spent in detention (more than 10 years) and recommends his immediate release.
Bad health standards in Egyptian prisons are the product of a number of factors, perhaps the most important of which are overcrowding, deterioration of cleanliness standards, the poor state of prison hospitals, lack of doctors and most worryingly of all the withholding of medical attention as a means of punishment.
It should be noted that lack of health care for prisoners and detainees continues to violate a number of their fundamental rights and freedoms.
EOHR fears for the life of Abdel Aal and urges the responsible authorities to release him immediately.
It also calls for review of the situation of detainees in Egyptian prisons and the release of detainees who have obtained release orders on health grounds or who have had no charges laid against them.
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