Hesham Gaafar, 3 other detainees start hunger strike in Qasr al-Ainy Hospital

Four detainees currently being held at Qasr al-Ainy Hospital announced a hunger strike on Saturday night, in protest over what they say is an unwillingness by security to allow them to receive food, medicine or visits.

The inmates include journalist Hesham Gaafar, judges Mahmoud al-Khodairy and Alaa Hamza, and engineer Gomaa Mohamed.

According to Manar al-Tantawi, Gaafar’s wife, the officer in charge of prisoners at Qasr al-Ainy Hospital refused to allow food, clothing or medicine to reach them on Friday. The officer asked the families to obtain a warrant from the general prosecution, which had not previously been required, to allow them to pass items to their relatives, Tantawi said.

Gaafar’s lawyer Ahmed Abu Ela said he would lodge a complaint against officers at Qasr al-Ainy Hospital with the general prosecutor on Monday.

Gaafar, CEO of the Mada Foundation for Media Development, was arrested in October when police raided the organization’s office in 6th of October City. He is currently being investigated on accusations of belonging to an outlawed group and international bribery.

He was moved last April from Tora Prison to Qasr al-Ainy Hospital due his deteriorating health, as he suffers from an inflamed prostate. According to Tantawi, he hasn’t yet been seen by a urologist, despite being scheduled for surgery three times previously at Manial Hospital, where he was never transferred due to “security concerns.”

Tantawi said she reviewed a medical report issued on August 15, claiming that Gaafar’s condition had improved and that he could leave the hospital and see a urologist every two weeks, which she pointed out contradicts the decision to schedule him for surgery.

In February, Gaafar was transferred to Tora Prison hospital after his health deteriorated due to lack of food and prison conditions. He commenced a hunger strike with journalist Hossam al-Sayed, and seven other journalists, in protest over “the slow death" they were facing, according to an open letter they sent to the Journalists Syndicate.