- EGYPT
- January 6, 2014
- 2 minutes read
Prisoner Defense Team Statement on Burg Al-Arab Political Detainees
On Sunday, 120 political detainees held at Burg Al-Arab prison, including members of Egyptian university teaching staff, who were arrested in anti-coup demonstrations and other non-violent protest events, went on hunger strike, and decided to refuse appearing before the prosecutor or the judiciary, for interrogation, renewal of detentions, or farcical trials.
They did so in protest at humiliation and ill-treatment inside the prison, continued incarceration without legal justification, and the fact that their so-called precautionary detentions have turned into a kind of illegal punishment, especially since some of them have already been in detention for six long months.
The defense team understands the detainees’ decision to go on hunger strike, and supports them in their court boycott, until the sad situation in Egypt is resolved and the nation moves beyond the current crisis.