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The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights reports |
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2002-1-23
report
" Tuberculosis ….. The slow death in the prisons of El Wadi El Gadeed and Damanhour"
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. First : El Wadi El Gadeed: El Wadi Gadeed is a new building which opened on 5th 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. -
- 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."
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.
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
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 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 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 . 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 29th 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.
Introduction| Section 1| Section 2| List| Section 3 |
Introduction Section 1 Section 2 List Section 3  Prisons 2002
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