The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) calls on Public Prosecutor Mohamed Shawky and Interior Minister Major General Mahmoud Tawfik to swiftly look into three complaints filed by Dr Abdel Khaleq Farouk's wife regarding the health requirements of the cell in which he is held.

Economist Abdel Khaleq Farouk, 67, told his wife on her visit on March 31st that the administration of the 10th of Ramadan prison no.6 did not respond to his complaint about the presence of large mice in his cell, stating his fear that they may transmit diseases among detainees. 

On April 1st, Farouk's wife, Naglaa Salama, sent telegram No. 2242001991 to the Public Prosecutor regarding her husband's detention conditions. She then sent two similar telegrams, No. 2480001153, to the Minister of Interior and No. 2480001152, to the Assistant Minister of Interior for Human Rights, but she has not received any response so far.

EIPR reminds the Public Prosecutor and the Minister of Interior of Article 29 of the internal regulations of the correctional and rehabilitation centres, which stipulates that health and preventive precautions must be taken to prevent the spread of any disease among inmates. It should be noted that despite the announcement by the Ministry of Interior that its staff were trained on the Nelson Mandela Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, Farouk's condition is not in line with Rules 13 and 17, which stress the need to adhere to health requirements for the cleanliness and maintenance of cells. 

Farouk was arrested from his home in October 2024. He appeared two days later before the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP), which charged him with joining a terrorist group and spreading false news in connection with Case No. 4937/2024. During six months of detention in the 10th of Ramadan prison no. 6, Farouk suffered from deteriorating detention conditions, which he complained about more than once during the hearings held via video conference to renew his detention. According to his wife, Farouk has suffered three heart attacks since his arrest, the last of which occurred last January, after which he was transferred to his current cell, which is isolated from the cells of detainees detained on account of similar cases.

EIPR calls on the Public Prosecutor to release Farouk in accordance with the Criminal Procedures Law, which provides for resorting to pretrial detention under specific conditio s that do not correspond to his status. He has a known place of residence, and there is no fear that he may escape or affect the course of investigation by any means. EIPR stresses that Farouk's continued detention under the current conditions is considered a crime of endangering or placing an elderly person in the way of harm according to Article 24 of the Elderly Rights Care Law No. 19 of 2024.