Amnesty International has demanded Egypt release journalist Solafa Magdy. The organisation said that officials in Egypt’s prisons subject political detainees to torture and bad, inhuman, cruel detention conditions, and deny them health care as punishment for opposing the regime. This came after a report by Solafa’s lawyers sent to the attorney general complaining that she was subjected to repeated harassment by the employees in al-Qanater women’s prison amounting to physical and sexual assaults. In January, she complained in court about these assaults.
The Egyptian Front for Human Rights confirmed the assaults on the detained journalist, including sexual harassment and physical assaults. A couple of journalists announced solidarity with their colleague, who was said to be hit until she had heavy vaginal bleeding, along with being threatened not to see her husband and son again.
In the same vein, Reporters without Borders (RSF) renewed its call to release Solafa. “Solafa needs urgent medical care that is not available in prison,” said RSF. “She does not threaten security in Egypt and her detention is not warranted.” Solafa is a journalist and human rights defender, who was arrested on the 26November 2019 with her husband and press photographer Hossam Sayyad and their friend Mohamed Salah, who is a political activist. The three were put on remand over case no. 488 of year 2019.
