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EOHR calls for immediate inquiry into continued hunger strike in Abu Zabal Penitentiary
20/12/2004
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) strongly condemns the Interior Ministry and the Prisons' Department's failure to take any measures to end the hunger strike in Abu Zabal Penitentiary which is entering its second month.
According to information received by EOHR prisoners in ward 3 section 3 of Abu Zabal Prison are continuing their hunger strike in protest at the deterioration of living and health conditions, mistreatment and prevention of visits.
The prisoners apparently began their open-ended hunger strike at the beginning of November when the prison authorities firstly prevented prisoners' families from bringing them food during Ramadan, and then stopped the exceptional visits they had been granted during the Eid holiday.
The families of a number of prisoners convicted during the Tala'ie al Fatah (1) trial were consistently denied prison visits from 1993. This changed in 2002 when they were allowed exceptional visits lasting no more than five minutes during holidays. Last Ramadan the Prison authorities prevented them from bringing food and then banned these exceptional visits. Prisoners' families told EOHR lawyers that Abu Zabal Penitentiary prisoners are heavily dependent on food brought in from relatives because of the poor quality of food given to them inside the prison. Prisoners in addition are given polluted drinking water unsuitable for human use which leads to illnesses including kidney problems, and are given inadequate medical care.
The prison authorities have taken no serious steps to improve living and health conditions in the Penitentiary despite EOHR's having presented complaints to both the Interior Minister and the Secretary General. This will only lead to the continuation of the hunger strike.
EOHR calls on the Interior Minister - for the second time - to launch an internal inquiry into the conditions inside Abu Zabal Penitentiary since prisoners' lives are in danger. It also appeals to the Attorney General to exercise his powers under articles 2 and 40 of the Criminal Procedures Code which allow members of the Public Prosecution Office to inspect prisons. It urges him to despatch Public Prosecution Office employees to Abu Zabal in order to investigate the circumstances surrounding the hunger strike and the reasons for it. The National Council for Human Rights must take part in and follow up on this issue.
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