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Egyptians split over how to deal with COVID-19 in overcrowded prisons

Egyptian rights groups are calling for the release of prisoners to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in prisons.
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Rights groups in Cairo are calling on the Egyptian government to immediately release prisoners for fear that an outbreak of COVID-19 could threaten the lives of thousands imprisoned in Egypt.

The Cairo-based Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms issued a statement March 17 calling for “the immediate release of prisoners, be they convicted of political or criminal cases.”

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