The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression and the attorneys for political activist Ahmed Doma submitted, yesterday (June 6), a request to the Attorney General to conduct a PCR test for Douma, after reports were published of (Covid-19) infections in Tora Prison, in which the activist is serving his prison term. The Ministry of Interior recently announced the death of a staff member in Tora prison, at the end of last May, after it was confirmed that he was infected with Corona virus.

According to the request, No. 23762 of 2020, Douma’s family asked that a (PRC) test, blood test, antibody test, and a chest x-ray be carried out for Douma at their own expense in a private laboratory or in one of the Ministry of Health’s laboratories.

Douma is serving a 15 years sentence in case no. 8629/2011 Sayeda Zainab/Criminal, which is registered with number 3528/2011 General/ Downtown Cairo. The case is known as the Cabinet Clashes, in which Douma is accused of assembling, burning the first floor of the Parliament building, and the illegal use of force.

The request indicated that the Egyptian prisons are considered one of the most crowded places, which may be a fertile environment for the spread of (Covid-19) among the prisoners. It added that the necessary health standards are not available in prisons that lack the means of protection against viruses, which may make it difficult for prison hospitals to examine all individuals that had interactions with the employee -who died recently- during his work or carry out smears for those suspected of being infected.

This request comes in the context of the legal activities of the campaign launched by AFTE last week to call for the release of prisoners of violations of freedom of expression under the slogan “Release prisoners of violations of freedom of expression”.