Egyptian activist on strike: “Medical measures” at Abdel Fattah

Status: 11/10/2022 2:18 p.m

The imprisoned activist Abdel Fattah has been on a hunger strike for months – he recently stopped drinking water. Now, according to his family, Egyptian authorities have “intervened medically.”

In the case of the imprisoned democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who protested against his prison conditions by not eating and drinking water in Egypt, according to his family, the prison authorities “intervened medically”.

The judicial authorities have been informed of the move, the family said. His lawyer has been granted access and is on his way to jail, his sister Mona Saif tweeted.

Family demands clarification of circumstances

It was unclear whether the intervention involved some form of forced feeding, such as intravenously. There was initially no confirmation from the official side. The family asked for clarification of the circumstances and for Abdel Fattah to be transferred to a hospital.

Abdel Fattah, who was one of the leading figures in the 2011 revolution, has been without food for months and also without water since Sunday morning – coinciding with the start of the world climate conference in the country. The body can only survive three to four days without water.

In 2022, 40 prisoners have died in Egypt so far

Since then, his mother, who drives to the Wadi al-Natrun prison in the desert north of Cairo every day, has been waiting in vain for a letter and thus a sign of life from her son. According to the family, she has now been forbidden to wait at the prison. She was not allowed to hand in a letter for her son.

According to the Al-Nadim Center, which works to help victims of torture and violence, 40 prisoners have died in Egyptian prisons this year. Sister Sanaa Saif worries that her brother is being force-fed to keep him alive in prison. This could avoid a possible death of the prominent activist during the climate conference, where tens of thousands of delegates, observers and journalists are registered.

Scholz calls the situation “very depressing”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also addressed the case. Scholz called the activist’s situation “very depressing” a few days ago. His condition is so serious “that we all have to fear that it will lead to very terrible consequences”.

COP27 President and Foreign Minister Samih Schukri had questioned the CNBC broadcaster whether the 40-year-old prisoner was even on a hunger strike. In addition, a hunger strike is a “personal decision”. Health care is available to him like all other prisoners. At the two-week climate conference, representatives from almost 200 countries negotiate how the fight against global warming can be stepped up. The conference runs until the end of next week.

“Medical intervention” in the case of the blogger imprisoned in Egypt

Tilo Spanhel, ARD Cairo, 11/10/2022 3:36 p.m

source site