05 Feb 2021; MEMO: Scores of political prisoners detained in Egypt have urged US President Joe Biden to look into human rights violations in Egypt and end their suffering in prison.
In a joint letter the prisoners, who are detained in a number of detention centres, detailed the torture they have had to endure for years as a result of their participation in the January 2011 revolution.
"The [Abdul Fattah] Sisi regime has decided to take revenge on everyone who dared to express his opinion, rejected the military coup, refused to stop the democratic process produced by the January 25 Revolution and closed the doors of dialogue with the people of the country," the letter said.
"We ask you to play the great role we expect from you towards us, and to place the file of political prisoners in Egypt in the priorities of your relationship with our beloved country, hoping that it will be a step on the way to achieve the freedom of young people who are loyal and love their country. We have been following your election with interest .. Your success was a moment of hope in a dark time," the letter said.
According to multiple human rights reports, for more than seven years, Egypt has been living the worst human rights crisis in its modern history, with thousands of opponents languishing in prisons, most of whom are subjected to torture, enforced disappearance and medical neglect.
Last December, the Guardian quoted a Swiss human rights report as saying that the number of people who had died while in detention had increased during 2020 to 100; bringing the total number of prison deaths to more than 1,000 since the 2013 military coup, due to torture and medical neglect.
