Egypt journalists call for release of political prisoners

Egyptian prisoners in court

26 July 2021; MEMO: Hundreds of Egyptian journalists have called for the release of all political prisoners, local media reported yesterday.

In an official note, the Journalists Syndicate called on the country's public prosecutor, the attorney general and the administration of the western Cairo Tora prison to free their colleague Hisham Fouad, who they said has been on a hunger strike for two weeks.

"Egyptian authorities must urgently intervene to provide the necessary health care to Fouad and save his life from danger," they said.

The syndicate called for Fouad, Hossam Moanis and others to be released as they have already spent the maximum "two years in pretrial detention."

"The continued illegal imprisonment of Fouad and his colleagues endangers their survival after more than two weeks on hunger strike," the statement warned.