19-year-old prisoner falls into coma from medical complications: Borg al-Arab Hospital

A 19-year-old detainee in Borg al-Arab Prison fell into a coma as a result of complications from a brain tumor, according to a medical report released on Monday from Borg al-Arab’s government hospital.

Karim Bassiouny’s health deteriorated over the last couple of weeks, according to his lawyer Mohamed Hafez, who said he lost half his bodyweight and had a bluish hue.

He was taken to Borg al-Arab Hospital, where they examined and released him, and sent him back to prison. After losing consciousness he was transferred to the government hospital at the end of March, when he went into a coma, Hafez said.

Medical tests showed Bassiouny has a brain tumor that is pressing on his spinal chord and blood vessels, causing hematomas in his brain, according to the report, which Mada Masr obtained a copy of. Hematomas are a collections of blood vessels that form as a result of disease or trauma, including injury.

The prosecution requested a note from the hospital stating that it isn’t equipped to treat Bassiouny and he should be transferred to Al-Amiry University Hospital in downtown Alexandria to receive the necessary care.

A military court sentenced Bassiouny to two years in prison and another two years under observation in November 2006. There were 43 defendants in the trial, some of whom were acquitted, with the remainder receiving sentences varying from two years to life, which is 25 years in Egypt.

The defendants were convicted of illegally gathering, protesting, damaging a police car and the attempted murder of a military officer in the Agami area on the outskirts of Alexandria.

An appeal was submitted and is still to be reviewed by a military court.