The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
REPORT

The EOHR's 11^th report on the living and health conditions in the Egyptian

Cairo: 23^rd January 2002

Prisons

2002

Introduction

The Egyptian Organization For Human Rights issues its report on "Tuberculosis …. The slow death in the prisons of El Wadi El Gadeed and Damanhour"in the context of the campaign launched by EOHR to stop the ill-treatment of the prisoners in the Egyptian prisons. EOHR began its campaign since 1991 and issued 10 reports in which the EOHR work field unit documented and monitored the bad living conditions in the Egyptian prisons and the lack of medical care as well as the basic rights of the prisoners.

These reports are:

1. Human Rights Violations in Egyptian Prisons: The Model of the Tora Prisons Complex, 4/8/1991.

2. Prisoners Without Rights, 6/9/1994.

3. Alienation (Al-Taghrieb), 18/9/1995.

4. Death or Madness Threaten Four Thousand Prisoners at Al-Fayoum Prison, 25/5/1996.

5. The High Security Prison, a Graveyard for Prisoners, 3/9/1996.

6. Poor Health Conditions in Egyptian Prisons - A Deliberate Violation of the Right to Life, 12/2/1997.

7. Awaiting Death - An EOHR report on medical conditions in Egyptian prisons, 29/12/1997.

8. Detained forever - An EOHR report on prison conditions in Wadi Al-Natroun I and II, 2/3/1998.

9. Empty Stomachs- An EOHR report on the condition in Abu Zaabal prisons on 30/4/1998.

10. Death in Silence and Seclusion - An EOHR report on the gross violations of the right of prisoners and detainees to medical care on 16/8/1998.

The present report relies on live testimonies of prisoners, their families and lawyers as well as on field research by the members of the EOHR's field Work Unit. The report includes documented information about 273 cases of sick prisoners. However, these cases constitute only a limited sample of the hundreds on which the EOHR has received information from the prisoners of EL Wadi El Gadeed and Damnhour prisons.

EOHR regret to say all the information it received indicate the deterioration of the prisons in Egypt especially the lack of medical care, the overcrowded cells, the lack of proper hygiene, insufficient and inadequate food, unclean water, and lack of proper ventilation and of recreational activities as well as the negligence of the prison doctors, the worsening conditions of prison hospitals and their lack of medicine. The situation is aggravated by the isolation imposed by the Ministry of the Interior on some prisons for a long time so the prisons do not receive their medicine from their families. Furthermore, the Prison Directorate can prevent the prisoners from receiving necessary care as a tool of collective punishment.

On the other hand, EOHR can not disregard the step forwarded by the ministry of interior to abolish the lashing penalty which was used as a tool of punishment. This penalty was mentioned in article 43 of paragraph 7 of law no. 396 of 1956 that stated that lashing can be used as a disciplinary punishment. However, in the People's Assembly session dated 22^nd December 2001, a decision was issued to drop this penalty which was in conflict with the simple human rights and which was used as a tool of revealing revenge, pain as well as disgracing humanity . EOHR still calls for the amendment of the internal regulations of the prisons issued by the decree no. 79 of 1961 to conform to the International Instruments of the prisoners.

The report is divided into three sections which are :

Section one: The legislative framework.

Section two: The conditions within El Wadi Gadeed and Damnhour prison.

Section three: The recommendations.

Section one

The legislative framework:

The bad medical care of the prisoners and detainees is a blatant violation to the Egyptian Constitution. Article 42 of the Constitution states that :"Any person arrested, detained or his freedom restricted shall be treated in a manner concomitant with the preservation of his dignity . No physical no moral harm is to be inflicted upon him. He may not be detained or imprisoned except in places defined by laws organizing prisons".

Article 57 stipulates that "Any assault on the individual freedom or on the inviolability of private life of citizens and any other public rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the law shall be considered a crime, whose criminal and civil lawsuit is not liable to prescription. The State shall grant a fair compensation to the victim of such an assault."

Moreover, Article 40 of the Criminal Procedure Code states that no one may be arrested without a warrant from the competent authority . People under arrest shall be treated in a manner that preserves their dignity, and should not be physically or psychologically hurt."

Article 42 of the same code provides for the rights of members of the public prosecution, heads and deputies of courts of first instance and appeal courts to visit general and central prisons within their jurisdiction. The right is meant to monitor the conditions of prisons and prisoners , and to allow prisoners to voice their complaints.. Article 43 of the same law upholds the right of prisoners to register oral or written complaints with the head of the prison concerning any violation they have suffered, and to request that these complaints be forwarded to the public prosecution.

Furthermore, a Presidential Decree on prisons sets the general regulations for the medical treatment and care of prisoners. The executive regulations, as well as, detail the procedures that should be followed to provide the best possible medical care for prisoners.

Articles 33 to 37 of the prisons set the general rules for the treatment of prisoners as follows:

Article 33 stipulates that any prison which is non-central must have one or more doctors, one of them resident, to be responsible for medical affairs as stated in the internal regulations. Also, any central prison must have a doctor . In case there is no appointed doctor, the administration will assign one to perform the duties of the prison doctor.

Article 34 states that a prisoner sentenced to hard labor whom the prison doctor finds unable to work will be presented to the director of the prisons medical department or a delegate from the doctors working in the department to consider his transfer to a general prison. The transfer decision is executed after being signed by the general director of prisons and the consent of the Public Prosecutor. The prison to which the sick prisoner is transferred will observe his condition and present a medical report to the director of the Medical Department if the reasons upon which he was transferred no longer apply. In this case, the director of the medical department, and the general director of the concerned medical office or his delegate from the doctors working in the department will jointly examine the prisoner to consider his return to the prison. A decision is made by the public prosecution to return him and deduct the period spent from the sentence.

Article 35 states that if the prison doctor realized that one of the sentenced prisoners is mentally disturbed, he must refer him to the director of the prisons medical department to be examined. If proved to be disturbed, the prisoner will immediately be transferred to mental hospital . He shall remain in hospital until he is cured, in which case the hospital administration should inform the public prosecutor, who shall order the return of the prisoner to prison less the period he spent in hospital.

Article 36 stipulates that if the prison doctor found a convicted prison to have a disease which threatens his life or may cause him total disability, the prisoner must be referred to the director of the prisons medical department and the forensic doctor for examination and to consider his release. The release order is executed after the approval of the general director of prisons, and with the consent of the public prosecutor. The concerned administration and the competent prosecution department must be informed of the case.

Article 37 states that if the condition of a sick prisoner becomes serious, the prisoner officials must quickly inform the administration in the area where the family lives so that they can be informed immediately. They are allowed to visit him. In the case of a prisoner's death, his family must be informed immediately in the same manner, and upon their request, the body will be handed over to them. In the case they expressed their will to transfer the body to their home town, medical procedures will be taken at the expense of the government before handling the body, but the family will then transfer of the body at its own expense. If the death was caused by an epidemic disease, the transfer of the body is not permissible.

In addition, the Minister of the Interior's Decree no. 79 of 1961 on the internal regulations of prisons stipulates the duties of prison doctors as follows:

-To be responsible for all medical procedures that guarantee adequate health for the prisoners ( article 24).

- To visit the prison at lease once daily ( article 26).

- To examine every new prisoner, examine sick prisoners daily, and order the transfer of

sick prisoners to hospital and to visit those in solitary confinement every week (article 27)

- To keep records on the medical condition of prisoner ( article 28) to demand the segregation of any prisoner infected with a contagious disease and take the necessary procedures to prevent the spread of the disease (article 29).

- To immunize prisoners upon arrival against smallpox and typhoid, and regularly against smallpox (article 30).

- To inform the prison chief in writing of any deterioration in prison's health due to solitary confinement or hard labor the doctor should then recommend means to stop this and the prison chief must implement the doctor's recommendations (article 31).

- To make sure that the prison chief or officer has implemented recommendations regarding any dietary or medical treatment changes for prisoners. In case his recommendation have not been implemented he should inform the prison administration and send a copy of his recommendations (article 33).

Every individual's health has to be in the best condition, which is a basic right of him regardless to his nationality, his religion, his political believes or his economical condition. From the covenant of the International Health Organization

- To write a report on any sick prisoner.(article 35).

- To examine prisoners due to be transferred to another prison, and prevent the execution of the transfer, if necessary, for medical reasons, and to designate the appropriate means to transport him. (article 36).

- In case the medical treatment required by a prisoner is not available at the prison dispensary or hospital, the doctor should consult a forensic doctor and report to the medical department the result of the consultation. In urgent or extraordinary cases, the prison doctor should take the appropriate procedures to improve the health of the prisoner. The prison administration should be immediately informed of the procedures he has taken.

- In case the medical treatment requires that he should be examined by a specialist doctor, the prison doctor should obtain the permission of the prison officials to do so. The permission could be given on the telephone in urgent cases. The doctor should order the acceptance of medicine from the families in case the medical condition of a prisoner so requires ( article 37).

Article 40 to 44 of the above mentioned Ministerial Decree 79/61 states the duties of the prison pharmacist as follows: to be responsible for keeping and maintaining all the medicines and medical equipment at the prison (article 40) to prepare the medication ordered by the prison doctor, and to examine the milk received by the prison (article 41) to give medicines only with a written order by the prison doctor (article 42) and to keep a register of all incoming and outgoing medicines and medical equipment (article 43). The prison doctor shall undertake the duties of the pharmacist in case of the latter's absence. (article 44).

Article 45 to 49 of the internal regulations stipulate the medical procedures to be followed in prisons: a prisoner must have their hair cut, a bath with hot water and soap upon arrival and during stay in prison (article 45). On arrival, the prisoner must be placed under medical observation for ten days, during which time he may not mix with other prisoners or receive visits (article 46). The prison chief should inform the Medical Department of prisoners and the health office inspector of any infection, or suspected infection, of a contagious disease (article 47).

My son Ahmed Mohamed Hussein has not any political or religious affiliation and has never been charged without any charges. However, I was surprised when he was detained on 7th December 1992 and he id in El Wadi El Gadeed Prison. He is 18 years old and his health is deteriorating because he has Mitral Stenosis and high blood pressure. He is responsible for all the family and his health condition is so bad. Please be compassionate and release him. We are now suffering from bad economic condition. From the real accounts the mother of the detainee

The cells of prisoners with a contagious disease must be sterilized, and those who were placed in them must be put in quarantine (article 480). The prisoners infected with contagious diseases must be segregated and their utensils and furniture must be marked (article 49).

In spite of all these guarantees provided by the Egyptian legislation, the EOHR is not aware in most cases on which it has received information that prisoners were given the mentioned rights. The situation has led to a number of deaths and to the deterioration of the health of many sick prisoners to a threatening level, in addition to the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics in most Egyptian prisons. All this is normal consequence of the existing negligence in the provision of medical care. The following are the major violations of the right of prisoners t o medical care.

A statement, of the minister of the interiors assistant of the Prison Directorate (Major General-Sami Abd EL Gwaad ), which was written in Alahram newspaper on 10/3/2001 "The prison hospitals are built and equipped by the most modern medical apparatuses which provides the highest level of service to the prisoners as in each small prison there is a clinic where there are a doctor. These clinics are affiliated to Central Hospitals. All the medical operations are done in the educational hospitals such as El Qasr El Aini Hospital. The prison directorate appointed more than 100 doctors as well as 70 police doctors."

The real accounts of a prisoner which reveals the medical neglect in the prison of "El Wadi El Gadeed" "This prison or this tomb or as the prisoner of criminal cases B call "The death valley"I will only talk about only one point which is the most horrible thing which is block no.11 - block no. 12 are the cells of TB which are full of the infected prisoners. If the prison directorate had followed up those prisoners, they should have died in one month. However, by the help of their families they are still alive. Those sick prisoners suffer a lot in the hospital of prison, as there are a state of carelessness and lack of medicine."

Section two

The living conditions in the prisons of El Wadi El Gadeed and Damanhour . The constructions of these prisons are in conflict with the Universal Covenants.

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First : El Wadi El Gadeed:

El Wadi Gadeed is a new building which opened on 5^th February 1995 . It is located in El Kharga Town in the governorate of EL Wadi El Gadeed, 630 k.m. far from Cairo. The prison population includes 4000 prisoners and political detainees distributed among 12 blocks, one of them is for the criminals and another one is for disciplinary punishments with 15 incommunicado cells. Each collective cell is 4 x 6 m2 and its walls, cells and roofs are made of reinforced concrete . Using concrete in the construction of this prison increase the severe hotness in summer and the harsh coldness in winter. The windows are 40 x 60 c.m. and are located three meters above the floor. They do not allow sunlight or fresh air inside, as they overview internal shafts that contain sewage pipes.. In each cell there are 15 - 20 prisoners which means that the space allocated to each prisoner hardly exceeds 1.5 m2 which is insufficient space for a prisoner to live in a respectful life. Moreover, each 4 blocks are supervised by an officer who is a captain or a major assistant or a police security,

Second: Damanhour prison:

The medical conditions at Damanhour prison do not differ from El Wadi EL Gadeed Prison. Damanhour Prison is located just before the Abadeya village, in Damanhour, about 169 Km far from Cairo. It is a new building surrounded by a six-meter high concrete wall . The fence is made of wall blocks which is 10 m high and between each wall and the other a space of 5:3 cm in which there is a metal strip that prevent anyone who is outside to see what is inside.

- The front of the prison is 500 m X 200 m and there are 4 watching towers in addition to 2 towers in the corner of the fence. Three meters from the fence there is a wire fence. There are a rest house for the visitors to stay in and the gate of the prison.

I have not see my son for one year. I am responsible for my five grand-children and their mother as well as my own family which consists of 12 persons. I am now 64 years old and my son is a farmer who does not anything. His mother's vision becomes weak and her health in a bad condition as a result of crying over him. From the accounts of the mother of the detainee Naser Sayed Abd El Baki Ahmed who is in El Wadi El Gadeed prison.

- The rest house is a concrete umbrella based on a number of supporters. Beside the gate in the corner there is a café shop which is a room for selling the biscuits, cigarettes and sweats. On the other side there is a kitchen for selling the food, the tea and drinks as well as a W.C for the visitors.

- The prison consists of 12 blocks, five for the political detainees, four for the male criminals, two for the female criminals and one for disciplinary punishment. Each block contains 18 cells .The cell are 6 x 4 m. and has three windows which are 1 x 0.25 m.

These two prisons are located in a very hot area and overcrowded. Moreover, the construction of the two prisons violates the medical requirements of the construction of prisons stated in the Universal Covenants on Human Rights. This report includes the Rules of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners adopted by the first UN Conference On Crime Prevention and the Treatment of Prisoners in Geneva (1957) and ratified by the Social and Economic Council in 1977. The rules explain that imprisonment is painful enough and that it is not permissible to aggravate this pain by adding more restrictions. The construction of El Wadi El Gadeed prison blatantly violate Rule 10 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which states that: "All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all sleeping accommodation shall meet all requirements of health, due regard being paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation."

Rule 11 states that "In all places where prisoners are required to live or work,

a) the windows shall be large enough to enable the prisoners to read or work in the natural light, and shall be so constructed that they can allow fresh air regardless off any existing artificial ventilation.

b) b) artificial light shall be sufficiently provided"

Rule 12 states that " The sanitary installations shall be adequate to enable every prisoner to comply with the needs of nature when necessary and in a clean and decent manner".

Rule 13 states that "Adequate bathing and shower installations shall be provided so that every prisoner may be enabled and required to have a bath or shower, at a temperature suitable to the climate, as frequently as necessary for general hygiene according to season and geographical region, but at least once a week in a temperate climate"

Rule 14 states that "All pans of an institution regularly used by prisoners shall be properly maintained and kept scrupulously clean at all times".

Rule 15 states that " Prisoners shall be required to keep their persons clean, and to this end they shall be provided with water and with such toilet articles as are necessary for health and cleanliness".

Rule 16 states that " In order that prisoners may maintain a good appearance compatible with their self-respect, facilities shall be provided for the proper care of the hair and beard, and men shall be enabled to shave regularly".

Rule 17 states that " ( I ) Every prisoner who is not allowed to wear his own clothing shall be provided with an outfit of clothing suitable for the climate and adequate to keep him in good health. Such clothing shall in no manner be degrading or humiliating".

(2) "All clothing shall be clean and kept in proper condition. Underclothing shall be changed and washed as often as necessary for the maintenance of hygiene".

(3) "In exceptional circumstances, whenever a prisoner is removed outside the institution for an authorized purpose, he shall be allowed to wear his own clothing or other inconspicuous clothing".

Rule 18 states that "If prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothing, arrangements shall be made on their admission to the institution to ensure that it shall be clean and fit for use".

Rule 19 states that "Every prisoner shall, in accordance with local or national standards, be provided with a separate bed, and with separate and sufficient bedding which shall be clean when issued, kept in good order and changed often enough to ensure its cleanliness".

Second : the medical conditions of the prisoners:

EOHR has written repeatedly to the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health regarding the deteriorating health conditions of the inmates of El Wadi El Gadeed Prison and the spread of TB. The Ministry of the interior did not reply, but the Minister of Health replied on 6 December 1997 that "It was agreed with the Prison Directorate that a joint plan will be implemented to conduct a comprehensive survey on prisons all over the country to ascertain the spread of TB. A medical team made of three specialized doctors with a vehicle equipped to conduct examinations, a mobile lab and medication for TB went to Al- Wadi Al- Gadeed to discover those affected and treat them."

My son Bayomi who is 15 years old went on 28/8/1992 to have his hear cut. However, while praying in El Rahman Mosque, the Mosque were attacked and all the people were arrested . My son were arrested by mistake despite he does not have political or religious believes . He has not any hope in the future now because he could not complete his education. I hope they will be compassionate and care for my bad health and economic condition and so set my son free. From the accounts of the detainee Bayoumi El Azab Saber Gad

Although the EOHR welcomes the Minister of Health's reply and the measures taken to confront the disease, according to the information received by the organization a medical vehicle with X-ray equipped went to Al-Wadi Al- Gadid Prison in July 1997 and started examining prisoners to segregate those infected from the rest of prisoners. Few days later, however, the vehicle discontinued examination after discovering that 70 of the inmates had contracted TB, which meant that it was futile to continue the examinations as this percentage is enough to transfer the disease to the rest of the prisoners. Since then no procedures were taken by the Egyptian authorities to eradicate TB in the Egyptian Prisons.

Due to the seriousness of this information, the EOHR stressed that the competent authorities must form urgently a specialized medical committee to examine inmates of EL Wadi El Gedeed and Damanhour Prisons and ascertain the spread of the disease among them, and that this committee discloses its findings to the public opinion. Should the committee find that TB has spread to epidemic levels, the prison must be put in quarantine and the necessary steps taken to prevent the movement to and from the prison until this serious disease is totally eradicated. It is common knowledge that the TB microbe exists in humid dark places and its symptoms are continuous coughing, difficulty in breathing and a fever with a lot of sweating. TB microbe is transferred through through smelling polluted dusts or through the drizzle of an inflicted person or using his private tools.

TB must be cured regularly to control the microbe . The EOHR field Work team received complaints from 200 detainees in El Wadi El Gadeed and Damanhour Prisons who suffers from TB in the same time when the clinic of the prison can not satisfy the needs of the sick prisoners. This clinic is rarely used and run by doctor Major who is changed per month. Three blocks are examined per day and each prisoner is examined for one minute .The nurse starts the examination and the doctor does not interfere in the examination except in the deteriorating cases when the prisoner is unable to move or walk. However, other than that case, the nurse write himself the examination reports and give the prisoner the medicine.

Although that four years passed since EOHR launched its campaign to ameliorate the medical conditions in the Egyptian prisons. However, The EOHR regrets to say that the Egyptian authority did not take any action in this regards which is considered a clear violation to the International Covenants especially the Standard Minimum Rules for the treatment of prisoners.

Rule 22 states that "(1) At every institution there shall be available the services of at least one qualified medical officer who should have some knowledge of psychiatry. The medical services should be organized in close relationship to the general health administration of the community or nation. They shall include a psychiatric service for the diagnosis and, in proper cases, the treatment of states of mental abnormality".

"(2) Sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals. Where hospital facilities are provided in an institution, their equipment, furnishings and pharmaceutical supplies shall be proper for the medical care and treatment of sick prisoners, and there shall be a staff of suitable trained officers".

"(3) The services of a qualified dental officer shall be available to every prisoner".

Rule 23 states that " (1) In women's institutions there shall be special accommodation for all necessary pre-natal and post-natal care and treatment. Arrangements shall be made wherever practicable for children to be torn in a hospital outside the institution. If a child is born in prison, this fact shall not be mentioned in the birth certificate".

"(2) Where nursing infants are allowed to remain in the institution with their mothers, provision shall be made for a nursery staffed by qualified persons, where the infants shall be placed when they are not in the care of their mothers".

Rule 24. states that "The medical officer shall see and examine every prisoner as soon as possible after his admission and thereafter as necessary, with a view particularly to the discovery of physical or mental illness and the taking of all necessary measures the segregation of prisoners suspected of infectious or contagious conditions the noting of physical or mental defects which might hamper rehabilitation, and the determination of the physical capacity of every prisoner for work".

Rule 25 states that " (1) The medical officer shall have the care of the physical and mental health of the prisoners and should daily see all sick prisoners, all who complain of illness, and any prisoner to whom his attention is specially directed".

"(2) The medical officer shall report to the director whenever he considers that a prisoner's physical or mental health has been or will be injuriously affected by continued imprisonment or by any condition of imprisonment".

Rule 26 states that " ( I ) The medical officer shall regularly inspect and advise the director upon:

(a) The quantity, quality, preparation and service of food

(b) The hygiene and cleanliness of the institution and the prisoners

(c) The sanitation, heating, lighting and ventilation of the institution

(d) The suitability and cleanliness of the prisoners' clothing and bedding

(e) The observance of the rules concerning physical education and sports, in cases where there is no technical personnel in charge of these activities".

"(2) The director shall take into consideration the reports and advice that the medical officer submits according to rules 25 (2) and 26 and, in case he concurs with the recommendations made, shall take immediate steps to give effect to those recommendations if they are not within his competence or if he does not concur with them, he shall immediately submit his own report and the advice of the medical officer to higher authority".

It can be concluded that the bad health condition in the Egyptian Prisons is done by purpose by the authority to violate the basic rights of the prisoners and detainees especially the right to life and to personal safety. The bad health condition in the Egyptian Prisons is a normal result of the prisons' officials and officers who do not conform with the laws, the Egyptian Constitution and the International Covenants regarding the treatment of the prisoners ratified by Egypt and which becomes part of the constitution by virtue of article 151 of the Egyptian Constitution.

The bad health condition in the Egyptian Prisons is a result of the overcrowding, lack of hygiene, insufficient and inadequate food, the deteriorating condition of prison hospitals and the shortage of doctors and medicine as well as the pollution of water, the lack of recreation in the sun and the ban of having food from the family. These factors increases the deteriorating condition in the prisons of El Wadi El Gadeed and Damnhour.

EOHR presented many complaints regarding the deteriorating conditions of the prisoners to the office of the Attorney General Assistant (The directorate of International Cooperation and Prisoner's Care regarding the health condition of the detainees ) as well as it sends complaints to the Minister of Interiors and the head of the prison directorate during 1999- 2000 . The numbers of these complaints are about 900, which include the health condition of the detainees, and the diseases spread among them. They also include appeals for presenting the medical care and medicine as well as transferring them to the hospital of the prison or the quarantine because of the seriousness of some cases. EOHR did not receive any reply to these complaints.

I am an old women and responsible for a family of 6 prisons. My oldest son is detained and he was responsible for the family. He was detained on 10/3/1998 as he moves from one prison to the other. I visit him as I travel from my town to the prison and that costs me a lot of money as well as I get very tired. My son has allergy and high pressure and I pay for his medicine, which costs me money. Please be compassionate with me and set free my son. From the real accounts of the detainee Kamel Mostafa Allam - Damanhour prison.

The deteriorating health conditions lead to deaths in prisons such as :

Deaths in El Wadi El Gadeed Prison:

1- Abd El Naser Mohamed Ahmed: He was born in Tama- Sohag. He was detained in 1994, died on 19-6-1999 and was buried under security supervision in his family's graveyards.

2- Mohamed Hafez Abd El Hamid Abd El Ghani: he was born in Admeem - Sohag and was detained on 23-1-1995 and died on 23-12-1999.

3-Abd El Satar Mohamed: He died because he had active TB. He was born in Gerga - Sohag . He was detained in 1995 and died on 29-9-1999.

4- Ahmed Mohamed Hanafi Hamed: He was born in Komb Embo - Aswan . He was detained on 11-11-1995 and died on 11-10-1999.

5- Fathi Ali Arfan: He was born in Sezd El Kebalia Village - Ashwai- El Fauom. He was detained in 1992 and died on 26-5-1998

Deaths in Damnhour Prison:

1- Abou Bakr Sa'd Mahmoud:

He was born in EL Hamidiat in Qena. He was detained in 1991 and he was under recurrent detention till he died in February 1998 in Damanhour Prison because he had TB.

2- Fathi Abd El Aziz Ibrahim

He was detained in April 1997 and he was under detention till he died in Damanhour Prison.

3- Said Aid Mohamed Aid Adem

He was detained on 27-5-1996 in Damanhour prison . He was transferred to Damanhour Fever Hospital on 23/5/1998.

He died on 26-5-1998 in Damanhour Fever Hospital .In this regard EOHR addressed the minister of Health to know the reasons and the details of his death and the reply stated that as soon as he entered the hospital, he was examined and was given medicines The final report of his case says that he had meningitis.

4- Waleed Khalf Tawfeek:

He was born in Tahta- Sohag and died on 11-9-1999 . He was detained in 1994 and he had psoriasis.

5- Mahmoud Agami Mehalhal Moawad

He died on 21/10/1999 in Damanhour prison.

The nutrition in El Wadi El Gadeed and Damanhour Prisons:

El Wadi El Gadeed Prison:

The food is distributed once a day at 12:00 at noon. The food is of poor quality and insufficient for the prisoners which consists of a plate of rice, three loaves of bread, and a plate of insufficiently cooked vegetables or two eggs one or two days a week and. No food is allowed to reach the prisoners from outside.

Damanhour Prison:

Breakfast is distributed at 10:00 am . Three plates of beans are given for the whole cell and five loaves of bread are given to each prisoner daily. At 12 noon, one Kilo of rice are distributed daily and a quarter kilo of lintel are distributed three days a week. Furthermore, 50 gm of meat and two eggs are given to each prisoner twice a week.

The nutrition system in El Wadi El Gadeed and Damanhour is in conflict with article 9- paragraph 20 of the minimum standard rules for the treatment of prisoners which states that the prison directorate shall provide for each prisoner and at regular hours a meal of sufficient quality that maintain the health and strength and it should be well prepared and cooked. This system also is also a violation to the decree of the ministry of interior no.503 of year 1974 for the treatment of the prisoners which stipulated that each prisoner shall be given each week 14 meal ( 7 meals of bean - 3 meal of lintel - two meals of meat - one meal of cheese - one meal of hot vegetables - 125 gm of pressed dates)

The reception of the prisoners at EL Waadi El Gadeed :

The officers and the security soldiers welcomes the prisoners since the moment they take the prisoner's clothes except the underwear when he is deported to the prison and then they receive him by eclectic sticks, wood and other things regardless to the age of the prisoner or his health. This occurrence continued for an hour or two to inspect him and to inquire about his data and they confiscate his cloths except the underwear and the bag of his medicine. They take him blindfolded while they beat him to the cell where he is put with other 15 to 20 prisoners and where there are only 5 heavy covers.

The nutrition is so bad which does not suit the prison nor the patient. Every 25 prisoners are given two plates of beans and two plates of rice daily . we are given insufficiently cooked vegetables one or two days a week. We are given two eggs two days a week as well as a little amount of bread daily. From the accounts of a prisoner at El Wadi El Gadeed Prison

The reception of the prisoners at Damnhour :

After the car which holds the prisoners enter the prison gate, the prisoners are blindfolded inside the car while their hands are tightened to each other and they are insulted by obscene names.

After entering the main gate they walk through a corridor to a big hall where they are ordered to stand and turn their faces towards the wall.

The prisoners' clothes are taken from them except the underwear then they were ordered to squat on their heels on the ground and then they have their hair and beards shaved off. After that, the soldiers came and beat the prisoners for 15 - 30 minutes. Then they inspect the bags of the prisoners which contain their clothes and confiscate anything the prisoners' have. Eventually the prisoners' are put in their cells.

The visitation in El Wadi El Gadeed:

The inmates are summoned for meeting their visitors at 11:00p.m and they stay for recreation and covers are put on their behind to prevent them from seeing the prison building or the officers. When the prisoners enter the visit room then they are ordered to turn their faces towards the wall. They are not allowed to talk with each other or greet each other even the prisoners are two brothers. The visitors are inspected and allowed to see the prisoners. The prisoners stay in a wire room and each 3 prisoners have the area of 1.5 m. so that they are not able to hear what their visitors say.

The prisoners are ordered not to talk after hearing the beep and if anyone talk he will be transferred to disciplinary cell and all the people in the room are punished.

After the visit is over, the prisoners go to another room where there are the food brought by the visitors. The prisoners are ordered to sit down and to turn their faces to the wall while the food is put on their behind .Then they call the names of the prisoners one after the other to receive their food.

EOHR documented a slight improvement in the visitation system of El Wadi El Gadeed prison which manifests in allowing the visitors to visit the prisoners without having a permission from the detainees affairs office as well as the visitors sit on covers during the visit while in the past the visitors could not contact the prisoners personally but through a wire. Furthermore, in the past the visit lasted for 10 minutes now it extended to 30 minutes. However, These improvements do not includes the detainees of "El Gehad, Immigration and Takfer"as they are not allowed to be contacted personally through a wire fence.

Moreover, in the past the food brought by the visitors had to be inspected but now it is not. All kinds of food are allowed to enter the prison but the prisoners shall promise and write down that he will not return to the crime he had committed and so he is allowed to contact his visitors personally and sit on covers.

As is mentioned before the detainees of "El Gehad, Immigration and Takfer"are deprived from the above mentioned

The visitation in Damanhour Prison:

First: The family of the detainee:

The families receive the permits at the gate and then wait till the visit hour. After that, they call for the visitors to inspect them and the food they bring

After that, they enter a big hall which is 7-9m x 7-9 m. A corridor of 1 m. made of wire separate between the visitors and the detainees . Because of the crowdness of the hall neither the families nor the prisoners can hear each other even if their voices are high as well as the security men present during the visit and the visit lasts for 10 minutes.

EOHR monitored two months ago that the prisoners and the visitors can contact each other and sit on covers not through wire fences as it was in the past. In addition to that, the Damnhour Prison directorate permitted for bringing a larger amount of food to the prisoners except for the detainees of the "El Gehad".

It is worth mentioning that the families of those detainees suffer because the security forces usually break into their houses at night to get private information about the families although that the detainees are in the prison. The security forces carry out inspection campaigns on the detainees houses which negatively affect on the detains children, families and neighbors and which lead to the isolation of their families because people fear from contacting them to avoid being arrested.

Second: The detainees:

The detainees are summoned at 9:00 a.m for the visit and the go into an administrative area and they stand while their faces turn to the walls and they are insulted and sometimes beaten and that may last till 3:00 p.m. After that the detainees are asked about the names of the visitor and if the detainee refuses to say the name of his wife or mother he is tortured in publicity. The detainees are ordered not to talk to each other even they are brothers and if they do not carry the order they are punished. They are not also allowed to speak with their visitors when they hear a beep which announce the end of the visit and if not the prisoner is put in incommunicado .

My son died in the detention camp and till now we do not know what had happened to him, how he suffered and how he died while he was away from his sons, his mother and his friends. We are all sad He moved from El Fauom Prison - Abou Zabel Prison and finally he was detained in El Wadi El Gadeed Prison where he was detained for 4 years From the accounts of the mother of the detainee - Ahmed Mohamed Hanafi

The Café Shop in El Wadi El Gadeed:

For each cell per month the follows are distributed:

Each prisoner has 50L.E to buy the following : a box of the white cheese, Halawa Tehinian and nothing else except Soap, sweets and biscuits. Most of these things are stolen during the monthly inspection .Furthermore, there is no restaurant in this prison.

The Café Shop in Damanhour Prison:

There are a café shop in El Damanhour prison in which the prisoners put their money or the checks they receive from their families. The prisoners then receive "cards of their money"which the prisoner must use by the 29^th of the month. The prisoner also should buy things which he does not need such as when he buys 1 kilo of sugar he must buy soap of 1 L.E and each cell can buy 1 box of milk but must buy 4 boxes of Vita Cheese

Near the end of the period from 27-29 the prisoner can buy anything by the cards he has because if not the cards will be expired.

The inspection and recreation in the prisons of El Wadi El Gadeed and Damanhour:

The prison is inspected 4 times a year in the presence of police dogs and electric sticks. Before the inspection, the directorate of the prison observes the preparation of the prison to be inspected. They ban Holy Quraan, Religious books, civilian clothes except the underwear. They also ban the gowns, trousers, and the ropes for drying the clothes . The inspection is held on the administrative level and the inmates can be assaulted . The inmates who have been assaulted during the inspection in El Wai El Gadeed Prison are : Yehia Abo El Suood Ahmed - Abd El Kareem Abd El Gawaad- Mustafa Shafek Alaam - Husni Abd El Samei - Mamdouh El Amawi - Mustafa Mohamed - Mohamed Eshi.

The officers "M.B- F.A- A.L"lead the inspection campaigns on the cells.

It is due to the will of the officer who is appointed as the leader of the cell to allow the prisoners to have recreation or not.

"After the end of the visit, state security forces, investigation intelligences, the investigation officer ( M.B) who is transferred from El Aqrab Prison . Then we are beaten for 10 minutes." From the real accounts of a prisoner in El Wadi El Gadeed Prison

List of the sick prisoners

El Wadi El Gedeed

No.	Name	Date of detention	Health Condition
1	Regab Mohamed Abd EL Nabi	1994	TB- Chest Allergy
2	Ali Mohamed Abd El Nabi	1994	TB- Chest Allergy
3	Mohamed Kamal Radwan	1994	General Weakness- loss of Weight
4	Fathi Abd el Aal Abdallah	1994	Partial paralysis - difficulty in breathing
5	Abou Tamam Abo El Ghet Hegazi	1994	Retinal detachment- high blood pressure
6	Mustafa Ezat Amin Aabed.	1995	TB- General Weakness- loss of Weight
7	Shabaan Ali Mohamed Metwali	1995	Bleeding in eye fundus
8	Amr Ahmed Tawfek	1995	Vision weakness - Unable to walk
9	Mohamed Kamal Ibrahim	1994	General Weakness- loss of Weight
10	Nabil Ateia Muosa	1997	Rheumatism - Unable to walk
11	Mahmoud Abdallah Abd El Tawaab	1995	Partial Paralysis
12	Gamal Ali Abd Aal	1996	Inflammation in the vertebral column
13	Salah Abd El Tawaab Salah	1994	TB- Skin Diseases
14	Abd El Salahen Abo Deef Abd El Salheen	1996	Partial Paralysis - amputation left thigh
15	Sayed Bekry Gomaa Abd El Qader	1992	TB-Skin diseases - stomach ulcer
16	Hamada Zaglol Ali	1994	TB Lung
17	Salah El Deen Abd El Latef Abd El Rahman	1995	Bleeding per rectum
18	Ali Mohamed Ibrahim Metwali	1993	TB Lung
19	Atef Abd El Zaher Hasab El Nabi	1993	Lung abscess and pus in the chest
20	Ahmed Ali Naged Ali	1995	Chest allergy - Stomach ulcer - Vision weakness
21	Mahmoud Mahamed Abd El Radi Hussein	1992	TB- General Weakness- loss of Weight
22	Abd El Wahib Mohamed Talab Hendawi	1996	Inflammation and stones in the kidney - Chest allergy - Fracture of nasal bone
23	Morsy Mohamed Morsi El Sayed	1992	Partial Paralysis - Hepatitis - diabetes
24	Mahmoud Amin Hassan	1992	Hemi Plegia ( Partial Paralysis )
25	Mahamed Abd Allah Abd El Tawab abd El Baqi	1993	Skin diseases - Anemia
26	Mahmud Abd El Ghani Amin	1994	Skin diseases - Anemia
27	Nasr Sayed Abd EL Baqi Ahmed	1996	Chest Allergy
28	Hani Mohamed Yaseen	1994	Rheumatic heart disease
29	Harbi Ali Abd El Fatah	1992	Chest allergy - general weakness- weight loss
30	Shabaan Eid Tahawi	1994	TB
31	Khaled Abd El Tawaab Abd El Wahed	1994	Intestinal TB
32	Ali Abd El Hakeem Mahmoud	1994	Chest allergy - Difficulty in breathing- piles
33	Rafat Fathi Meki	1993	TB- Haemoptsis ( bloody sputum)
34	Ahmed Mahmoud El Sayed Ahmed	1993	Liver diseases- Pains in Vertebral Column
35	Mahamed Hassan Raheem Hassan1	1994	TB
36	Mamdooh Shehata 1Ali Swefi	1993	TB
37	Gamal Farag Sa'dawi	1993	TB
38	Mohamed Fayed Mohamed El Saman	1995	Kidney infection - Spleenomegaly
39	El Sayed El Soqi Zaqi Othman	1993	Difficulty in breathing and Sliding disk
40	Maher Mohamed Mahmoud Sayd	1996	TB
41	Khaled Ali Abd El Fatah	1995	Chest allergy - general weakness- weight loss
42	Ali Mohamed Ali Eid	1993	Pyelonephritis - general weakness- weight loss
43	Mahmoud Ali Mohamed Agag	1996	TB
44	Esam El Sayed Ahmed Mokhtar	1992	TB
45	Gaber Shehata Mohamed Nageeb	1994	Skin allergy ( scabies)
46	Hisham Shabaan Sabrah	1994	Chest allergy - general weakness- weight loss
47	Naser Ali Abd El Megeed Ali	1994	Rheumatic vertebrae - eyesight weakness
48	Ebrahim Emama Amar Ibrahim	1993	Stomach Ulcer - eyesight weakness - Sever pain in head
49	Amar Emam Amar	1996	Chest allergy - general weakness- weight loss
50	Talaat Ahmed Mahmoud	1995	Sliding Disk - Amputation of left hand and some right hand fingers.
51	Tarek Abd El Mone'm Abd El Hakeem	1993	Piles- General Weakness and weight loss
52	Mohamed Shabaan Yusri Abd El Samad	1994	Chest allergy and pains in the chest
53	Deyaa Mohamed Refaat Sadek	1994	Eyesight weakness - vertebral infection
54	Ibrahim Mohamed Ramadan Musa	1994	Skin allergy - General Weakness and weight loss
55	Mohamed Fathi Tawfek	1992	TB - Nose allergy
56	Abd El Ghani Ahmed Abd El Ghani	1994	Rheumatic- Piles- Kideny pains
57	Yuneis Hussein Ahmed Ali	1993	TB Chest
58	Asaad Ahmed Mahmoud Abd El Ghani	1994	Heart disease - Para plegia ( Paralysis of both lower limbs)
59	Hamada Abd El Tawaab Edrees	1997	Compound fracture of left leg
60	Essam Abd El Razek Abd El Aaal	1994	Heart diseases - Rheumatic arthritis
61	Dakhliu Mahmooud el sayed	1994	Hemi Plegia ( Partial Paralysis)
62	Abd EL Tawaab Abd EL Munem Mohamed	1993	TB - Eyesight weakness
63	Amar Abo Deef Mohamed	1994	TB
64	Esaam Ali Mohamed Ali	1994	TB- General Weakness and weight loss
65	Yehia abd EL Hamid Khedr Allam	1994	Diabetes
66	Shabaan Mohamed Abd El Rahman	1995	Infective hepatitis
67	Naser Sayed Abd El Baqi Ahmed	1996	Chest Allergy
68	Mahmoud Abd EL Raaof Abd aziz	1994	Skin allergy - eyesight weakness in the left eye
69	Ahmed Siad Abd El Aleem Saleh	1997	TB- Skin allergy - Otitis media
70	Mohamed Shahata Mohmad Farag	1995	TB - Valves
71	Ahmed abd Allh ahmed El Khudari	1993	Mitral Stenosis
72	Nashaat Abnd EL Aleem EL Sayed	1992	Chest Allergy
73	Ahmed Sayed Marie'I Hassan	1994	TB
74	Yaser Abo Zeed Ahmed	1992	Bladder stones- have only one kidney
75	Kamel Mohamed Abd Le Afeefi	1993	Skin allergy- eyes diseases
76	Hanafi Hazeen Ahmed	1993	General Weakness and weight loss
77	Salah Hassanen Abd El Mawgoud	1992	Kidney infection - General Weakness and weight loss
78	Hamada Ahmed Ateyia Mostafa	1993	General Weakness and weight loss
79	Ehab Fateh Mohamed	1997	Stomach Ulcer - Colitis
80	Mahmoud Saad Ahmed Abd El Raheem	1993	TB
81	Sayed Ahmed Hamam Salama	1994	Heart diseases - Stomach ulcer
82	Khaled Ismail Abd allah El Tohami	1999	Valves
83	Mohamed abd El Razak Mohamed	1995	Kidney infection
84	Fadel Mohamed mahmoud El Sayed	1993	Chest allergy
85	Magdi Gohar Afifi	1989	Skin allergy - Piles - General Weakness and weight loss
86	Morsy Mohamed Morsy	1992	Hemi Plegia ( Partial Paralysis)- Diabetes - Liver diseases - abumen
87	Ragab Tawfik Shabaan Abd Le Ghafar	1995	Deteriorating active TB chest
88	Sayed Abd Le Nabi Ahmed Mahmoud	1991	General Weakness and weight loss
89	Eid Abd El Karim Mohamed	1994	General Weakness and weight loss
90	Naser Mohamed abd El Hafez Othman	1993	TB- Kidney infection - paralysis in the right hand
91	Musa Ahmed El Sayed Mohamed	1994	Colitis -Piles
92	Ahmed Abd EL Reheem Abd EL Wahaab	1993	TB- General Weakness and weight loss
93	Hamid Abd El Fereem Ahmed Baqr	1992	TB - General Weakness
94	Rabei Mohamed Abd El Reheem Khalaf	1994	Epilepsy
95	Mohamed abd EL Mohsen Abou Zeed	1991	TB - General Weakness
96	Abd El Ati Shehata Ahmed Hussein	1994	Skin allergy - General Weakness and weight loss
97	Saber Hamad Ali	1993	Eyes diseases - General Weakness and weight loss
98	Mohsen Mohamed Ahmed Hassan	1995	Hemi Plegia ( Partial Paralysis)
99	Fathi Mahmoud Abas	1995	Hemi Plegia ( Partial Paralysis)
100	Eid Mohamed Ali Shenawi	1995	Hemi Plegia ( Partial Paralysis)
101	Emad El Den KhalafAllh Sbd el Megeed	1994	Hemi Plegia ( Partial Paralysis)
102	Ahmed Kamal El Deeen Mohamed	1994	TB
103	Mohamed Abd LE Azeez Mohamed Abd El Aal	1993	TB
104	Mohamed Said Abd El Megeed	1994	Swelling blow jaw
105	Abdallah Mohamed abdallah Hamad	1993	Bones infection - tension
106	Anwar Ahmad Tamam Musa	1996	Abdomen diseases - Skin allergy
107	Ahmed Ali Nageeb	1995	Chest allergy- Stomach ulcer
108	Abd EL Razek El Sayed Abdellah Gad El Kareem	1995	Stones in Kidney - General Weakness and weight loss
109	Khalid Ahmed Wazer Abdaalh	1994	Renal failure
110	Mohamed Aou LE Wafa Mohamed abdel aziz	1994	Chest Allergy - General Weakness and weight loss
111	Hafez Mohamed Hafez	1994	TB
112	Nasr Sayed abd EL Baqi Ahmed	1996	TB
113	Adham Farouk Abd Le Badei	1992	Paralysis and unable to speak
114	Shehata Abd El Azeem Shabaan	1994	Chest allergy
115	Ashraf Kamel Mohamed Gaflan	1993	Hemi plegia ( Partial Paralysis during the detention
116	Mahamed Alaam Mahamd Hashim	1997	Sliding Disk
117	Abd El Naser Fathi El Sayed Abd El Kader	1992	TB- General Weakness
118	Mahmad El Sendi Hendi	1995	Acute hepatitis - stones in gall bladder
119	Mahamed Le Sayed Mohamed E lSayed El Lahwani	1995	Breath difficulty - Rheumatic heart disease

Damanhor Prison:

No.	Name	Date of detention	Health Condition
1	Mahamed Abd EL Samei Glalah Ali	1991	Sliding disk - query leg paralysis
2	Ahmed Ali Hassan Ali Murad	1991	General weakness- weight loss
3	Ahmed Mukhtar Mahamed mahamed Hassen	1995	Difficulty in breathing - Heart failure
4	Mohsen Saad Ali EL Nagar	1995	Bronchial asthma - Skin allergy
5	El Sayed Hassan abd EL hamid Ebrahim	1994	Skin allergy
6	Ateya Abd EL Aziz abou Eisha	1994	Stomach ulcer- rheumatism
7	Mohyi LE Deen Mustaf Hamid	1992	Chest allergy
8	Ahmed Abd El Fatahi Ali El Sayed Salam	1994	Stomach ulcer - rheumatism
9	SayedMohamed Abd allh	1995	Stomach ulcer
10	Talaat Mohamed Ibrahim abd Le Aziz	1994	Partial paralysis - Chest allergy
11	Ani Ibrahim abd EL Aal	1996	Chest allergy - Rheumatism
12	Mustaf Mahamed Mahmoud Salama	1996	Partial paralysis
13	Ahmed Mohamed abou El Ela	1994	Sliding disc- Epilepsy
14	Abd LE Azeem Ahmed El Nagar	1995	Duodenal ulcer
15	El Sayed Mustafa Mohamed Qeleei	1994	Blood hypertension
16	Mahran Ahmed Zanati	1993	TB- Right para plegia
17	Ahmed Tawfeek Mohamed Refaai	1994	Kidney inflammation - rheumatism
18	Fawzi Ahmed Ali Abd El Rahamn	1994	TB- Poliomyelitis
19	Sami Mohamed Othman	1995	Heart Rheumatism - query TB
20	Ahmed Kamel Mohamed Mohamed Hassan	1995	Partial paralysis - Colitis
21	Alaa Mokhtar Mohamed Hassan Ghoab	1994	Diabetes- Left kidney swelling
22	Sabah Salah Saber Mohamed	1998	Skin allergy- General weakness- weight loss
23	Ahmmed Salah Atyi Mohamed	1996	Skin allergy -General weakness- weight loss
24	Nashaat Abd EL Aziz Abd EL Moneim	1995	Skin allergy - inflammation in the kidney
25	Abo EL Magd Abdo Metwali Othman	1995	TB- inflammation in the kidneys
26	Badawi Mahmmoud Abd Ellah	1994	Skin allergy - vision weakness
27	Mustafa Gamal Hussein Bardees	1994	Nervous and physiological diseases
28	Sameh abd Le Latef Ebrahim	1998	Piles- General weakness- weight loss
29	Mahamed Taha Mahmoud Ibrahim	1995	Difficulty in breathing- Skin allergy - rheumatism
30	Ali abd L Fatah Ali	1994	Osteoporosis - diabetes
31	Abd El Halim Hafez Sayed Allam	1993	Skin allergy - rheumatism in bones
32	Abd EL Hakeem Marwan Sedek	1993	Mitral Stenosis - difficulty in breathing
33	Said Abd EL Wanees Abd L Salam	1998	Heart rheumatism - General weakness- weight loss
34	Fathi Saleh Mohamadeen	1994	Piles -General weakness- weight loss
35	Taher abd Allh Muselhi	1996	Heart diseases
36	Mahmad Ebrahim Ragab	1993	Intra cerebral hoemarhige
37	Ali Said Ali	1994	Difficulty in breathing
38	Hamid Teleb Mahmoud	1998	Angina pectoris - stomach ulcer - Chest allergy
39	Taha Tohami Mohamed Mustafa	1995	Chest allergy - Prostatitis
40	Abd EL Muhsem Mohamed Ahmed hussein	1995	Blindness during the detention
41	Bekhet Khalefa Elian	1994	Diabetes - Kidney inflammation - nasal bleeding
42	Ayman Shawki Abd EL Megeed Mohamed	1997	Paralysis
43	Mohamed Yuneis Abd EL Waheed Adawwi	1996	Pains in vertebral column - Kidney inflammation
44	Abou L Fooh Abou Deef Mohamed	1994	Legs rheumatism
45	Kamal Hedayia Rehan Yousseif	1993	Stomach ulcer
46	El Sayed Mohamed Ali El Wesemi	1998	Sciatica- one eye vision weakness
47	Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed abou El Ela	1994	Paralysis- Sliding disc -epilepsy
48	Khaled El Said Ibrahim Mohamed	1994	Skin allergy
49	Mohame El Mohamed El Sayed	1995	Difficulty in breathing - rheumatism in both legs
50	Sayed Mohamed Mohemed Saad	1998	General weakness- weight loss
51	Mahmoud Taha Ahmed Mohamed	1993	Skin allergy
52	Eid Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed	1995	Stomach ulcer
53	Tarek Ibraheem Mohamed Mohamed	1995	Chest allergy -piles -cerebral insufficiency
54	Sabri El Sayed El Tantawi	1994	Chest allergy
55	Ahmed Mohamed Abdallah Soror	1994	Fracture of left leg
56	Mostafa Mahamed Mahmoud Salama	1996	Complete paralysis due to fissure of skull and vertebral column because of torture
57	Mahamed Ali Ahmed Gabr Hussein	1996	General weakness- weight loss
58	Hamada Salah Mohamed Fares	1996	Skin Allergy
59	Ahmed Ali Hassan Ali Murad	1991	General weakness- weight loss
60	Hemdan Thabet Mansur	1990	TB
61	Mahamed Roshdi Kamel Abd EL Ghani	1994	TB- Chronic kidney inflammation

Section Three:

Recommendations

In the past five years, the EOHR forwarded to the designated authorities a number of recommendations to take the necessary measures to stop the deterioration of living conditions, the ill-treatment of prisoners and poor medical care in the prisons. These recommendations are still appropriate since none of them have been adopted.

Hence the EOHR appeals again to the authorities to implement its previous recommendations and urges them to implement the following:

1. To ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This would give the UN Human Rights Committee the right to look into complaints made by individuals whose political and civil rights have been violated.

2. To approve the two declarations indicated in articles 21 and 22 of the Convention Against Torture. These declarations would permit the UN Committee Against Torture to deal with complaints presented by states or individuals concerning Egypt's violation of its obligations as provided for in the convention.

3. To take the necessary measures to guarantee the amelioration of living conditions in Egyptian prisons to ensure that prisoners and detainees are not subjected to torture and ill-treatment and to guarantee the right of prisoners to education, adequate nutrition, recreation, visits and contacts with the outside world.

4. To set up a judicial committee to conduct an investigation into the reasons behind the deterioration of health conditions in Egyptian prisons and into the gross violations arising from this deterioration and to made public the methods and results of these investigations.

5. To form an independent national committee to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the deterioration of Egyptian prisons in general. This committee should have access to all the information and data it may need, and be free to interview any person it considers necessary. Its role should not be confined to legal matters, but should also include the political, social and legislative aspects of the problem. The committee should then present a comprehensive proposal for the reform of Egyptian prisons.

6. To take measures to stop the current lack of medical care in prisons. These must include a prompt release of all prisoners whose health condition so requires facilitating necessary medical examinations and operations to sick inmates providing medicine, medical equipment, and the human and technical resources necessary for prison hospitals to function adequately and taking the medical steps necessary to stop the spread of diseases in prisons.

7. To assign the supervision of prisons to the Ministry of Justice instead of the Ministry of the Interior, and to maintain the supervisory role of the Prosecutor General on prisons.

8. To introduce the system of criminal execution judges who would follow up the sentences and supervise their implementation. These judges will also be responsible for examining complaints and grievances made by prisoners against the sanctions they receive inside prisons. They should be assisted by a specialized prosecution body with sufficient number of members to guarantee judicial supervision and monitoring of prisons.

9. To abolish the power of the President of the Republic to create special prisons and to decide, solely, which groups would be placed in, the way they will be treated, and the conditions for their release. This power must be transferred to the legislature. Also, article 1 bis of Law no. 396 of 1956, which permits the Minister of the Interior the right to designate special places for detention, must be repealed.

10. To amend Law no. 396 of 1956 on prisons in conformance with the provisions of the Constitution and international human rights standards, and of modern penal policies, to guarantee that all persons deprived of their freedom are treated in a manner that respects the human dignity inherent in the person.

11. To repeal Law no. 121 of 1956 amending article 63 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This law gives the members of the Public Prosecution only the right to bring lawsuits against public servants, among them police members. The old system, which allowed victims to bring direct suits, must be restored.

12. To stiffen the punishment on prison chiefs in case they break the prohibition on contacts between the authorities and prisoners or those in preventive detention. It is also important to state that prison chiefs will be considered party to the crime of torture, whether this takes place inside the prison or in any other place to which the prisoner or detainee was taken without legal grounds.

13. To activate the role of the Public Prosecution in inspecting prisons and to extend this role to cover all places of confinement, particularly State Security Investigations offices, security directorates in Cairo and other governorates, and police stations, as well as all other places designated as places of detention by the Minister of the Interior. The power of inspection should be extended to all members of the Public Prosecution and should not be confined to chief prosecutors and heads of courts, given their insufficient number.

14. To apply the provisions stipulated in the Code of Criminal Procedure regarding the ban on contacts between officials, except for the prison administration, and prisoners and those in preventive detention.

15. To conduct immediate investigations into complaints and reports made by organizations and individuals on violations of the rights of those held in prisons or in any other places of detention.

16. To allow the EOHR to investigate prison conditions.

17. To issue firm instructions to the officers of the Prison Department to abide by the law and facilitate the inspection of places of detention to the Public Prosecution. Also, to take deterrent administrative measures against any one who violates the dignity of a person or impedes the work of the Public Prosecution.

18. To stop the use of the Prison Manual used by the Prison Department to regulate prisons, as this manual was not issued by a legally competent body.

19. To include human rights education among the subjects of study in police academies and all other relevant institutions.

20. To reinforce the role of prison doctors in confronting violations of prisoners' rights, and to clearly instruct them to follow the code of ethics of the medical profession when dealing with prisoners. Also, to empower doctors to treat sick prisoners without the intervention of the prison administration.

This document is published online by Derechos Human Rights. Derechos works against violations to human rights and humanitarian law all over the world.