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.
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.”
The commission called for extensive health amnesty procedures for the elderly, who are at higher risk.
“The serious health conditions plaguing prisons and detention centers that are overcrowded with both prisoners and individuals held in pre-trial detention under harsh detention conditions may contribute to the spread of the corona pandemic and threaten the lives of thousands of individuals deprived of their liberty," the statement read. "The Egyptian authorities shall bear the responsibility for dragging their feet on taking the appropriate measures given the crises that may result thereof.”
