EGYPT: 14 inmates died of likely COVID-19 complications in prisons –HRW

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has revealed in a new report that no fewer than 14 prisoners have died from likely COVID-19 complications in scantly-monitored outbreaks of the disease at Egyptian detention centres.

The group in a statement on Sunday said that its report is based on witness accounts, leaked letters from prisons and reports by local rights groups.

“At least 14 prisoners and detainees have died, most likely from Covid-19 complications, in 10 detention facilities as of July 15,” the rights groups said in a statement.

“Prisons had insufficient medical care and virtually no access to testing for the virus or symptom screening,” it added.

HRW also noted in the report that Egypt had released some 13,000 prisoners since February, but this was “insufficient to ease overcrowding in congested prisons and jails”.