Once again: This is the English version (my translation) of the Open Letter many of us have signed today to the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights. Please read it. If you decide to sign, put your name and affiliation in a comment and we will collect end of day. Please share widely. Open Letter to the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights Sirs, We would like to draw your attention to the fact that many of the young people held in detention without trial, or pending trial, are now using their weapon of last resort to demand their right to humane treatment and due process: hunger strike. We draw your attention to two young men in particular, Abdallah al-Shami and Muhammad Sultan, both held in Aqrab Maximum Security Prison. Abdallah al-Shami is a journalist with al-Jazeera. He was arrested on August 14, 2013 while covering the breaking-up of the Rabaa sit-in. On January 21 2014 Shami started a hunger strike in protest at being held without charge, without evidence or due process. His imprisonment has been repeatedly extended, the latest time on the 3rd of May for a further 45 days. His health has deteriorated badly but the Prison Authority has seen fit to send him to solitary confinement. They have revoked his exercise rights and prevented him from receiving visits or talking with other people. In fact the Authority has found it reasonable to close the small hatch in his cell door. Two days ago the prison doctor attempted to force-feed him a chunk of tuna (!) This resulted in acute stomach pains and repeated vomiting. The prison doctor responded to this by throwing iced water over him. Mr al-Shami has recorded all this in his latest letter smuggled from prison. Mr al-Shami has lost some 40 kilograms in weight. His blood tests - run at a private clinic at his own expense - show severe anaemia and a malfunctioning of the kidneys. We believe that his life is in danger. Muhammad Sultan started his hunger strike on January 26, 2014 when his imprisonment was renewed repeatedly with no charges and no evidence. He was taken from his home on August 27, 2013, when the police broke into the house to arrest his father. They did not find the father but they took the son. Mr Sultan is now on day 105 of his hunger strike. He has lost over 45 kilograms in weight, his blood glucose is down to 40. He is in danger of death through haemorrhage or a diabetes coma. The National Council for Human Rights was established on the basis of a law that describes its function as aiming to support and develop the protection of human rights, to strengthen the values and spread the awareness of human rights and to contribute to ensuring their practice. We therefore demand that you make this contribution, particularly in the case of Abdallah al-Shami and Muhammad Sultan. We ask you to go to the Aqrab Prison to visit them personally, accompanied by a specialist and independent doctor. We ask that both men should be transferred immediately to hospital and that you should bring all pressure to bear on the authorities for their release. Two men who have not been convicted - in fact one of them has not even been charged - are about to die in an Egyptian prison. We ask you not to allow this crime to take place. For ourselves, we are not prepared to stand by and watch; we will do whatever we can to escalate pressure to release them . We hope that you will move urgently in the same direction. Signed: Ebtehal Younes - academic Ibrahim Hudaibi - researcher Ahmed ragheb - lawyer Ahmad Hussam ed-Din al-Attar Ahmad Samir - journalist Ahmad Semeida Ahmad Ezzat - legal activist Ahmad Farouq Abd el-Azim - deputy head Tahrir Medics Ahmad Muhammad Uthman - Foundation for Freedom of Thought and Expression Ashraf al-Sharif - academic Akmal Safwat - medic Ahdaf Soueif - writer Eman Mersal - poet Ehab Abd el-Hamid - writer and translator Baho Abdallah - Freedom for the Brave Basma Ahmad Hasan - actor Basma al-Husseing - cultura manager Basma Abd el-Aziz - medic Tamim Barghouti - poet Tahani Rashed - fim director Gamal Eid - lawyer Jihan Nasr H HA Hellyer Hazem Sherif - journalist Hosam Hamalawi - journalist Hosam Bahgat - journalist Hosam Shokrallah - computer programmer Hamdi Reda - visual artist Hana Yusuf - actor Khaled al-Balshi - journalist Khaled al-Sayyed - Thuwwar Khaled Hussein - journalist, Marsad Khaled Abd el-Hamid - Thuwwar Khaled Ali - lawyer Khaled Fahmi - historian Dalia Bassiouni - writer Duaa Sultan - media Dina Abd el-Rahman - media Dina Maher - actor Dina al-Khawaga - academic Dina Samak - journalist Dina Qabil - journalist Rehab al-Shazli - journalist Reda Mari - lawyer Randa Shaath - photographer Roget Anis - photographer Reem Saad - academic Reem Magued - media Ziad Oleimi - lawyer Ziad Hasan - photographer Samia Jahin - artist Salama Yousef Salma al-Rakhawi - psychologist Susan Fayyad - medic Sayyed Mahmoud - journalist and poet Shirin Abulnaga - academic Sabah Hamamo - journalist Sabri Khaled - photographer Safa Fatehi - poet Safa Fekri - visual artist Tarek Abdallah - musician Tarek Tito Taher Mukhtar - medic Adel al-Mashadd - architect Atef Botros al-Attar - academic Aida Seif e-Dawla - academic Abdallah Sharkas - film director Abdallah Deif - cultural manager Azza Khalil - medic Azza Chalabi - screenwriter Emad Mubarak - lawyer Omar Siddiq - retired Amr Hamzawi - writer Amr Shbeita - Tahrir Medics Amr Abd el-Rahman - EIPR Amr Ezzat - writer Amr al-Shora - medic Ghada Shahbandar - rights defender Lubna Muharram - architect Lamia Bulbul - academic Lamis al-Naqqash - academic Laila Suleiman - director Laila Soeuif - academic Laila Moussa - medic Laila Qatari Lilian Daoud - media Lina Wardani - journalist Lina Atallah - journalist Magda Adli - medic Magdi Samaan - journalist Muhammad Aboulgheit - journalist Muhammad Agati - researcher Muhammad Maimouni - photographer Muhammad Surour Muhammad Ali - dirctor Muhammad Ali Huzayyen - musician Muhammad Futouh Awad -Head, tahrir Medics Muhammad Hashem - publisher Mahmoud Salmani - photographer Mukhtar Mukhtar Madiha Dos - academic Marwa Farouq - lawyer Mariam Abu Ghazi -researcher Marian Saleh - musician Mariam Naoum - screenwriter Malak Roshdi - academic Malak Labib - researcher Manal Fuad - citizen Manar Hussein - medic Mona Hamed - psychiatrist Mayar Sharif - citizen Nadia Kamel - director Nasef Azmi - director Nayra Egga - citizen Nael al-Toukhi - novelist Nagla Bedeir - journalist Hala Galal - director Hala Lotfy - director Hani al-Matanawi - teacher Hani Shokrallah - journalist Heba al-Khouli - photographer Heba Khalifa - photographer Heba Sherif - cultural manager Haytham Gabr - journalist Wael Gamal - journalist Wael Khalil - architect Wael Abd el-Fattah - journalist and many more
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 04:50:20 +0000
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