Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Abdullah al-Shamy was transferred from his prison cell to an undisclosed location, his brother — renowned photojournalist Mosaab al-Shamy — said on Facebook Tuesday.
Shamy has been detained since the dispersal of the pro-Morsi Rabea sit-in on August 14 last year. His detention was renewed for a further 45 days last week without formal charge.
During last week’s court session, Shamy told journalists from the cage that he had lost 35 kg and had not received any medical attention, adding that he and 15 others are being detained in a cell of 12 square meters with no water for 12 hours a day.
Mosaab had posted a photo of his brother on May 5, which coincided with his 26th birthday, showing his deteriorating health after more than 100 days of hunger strike.
Shamy’s lawyer, Shaaban Saeed, reportedly submitted a request to the public prosecutor on Monday, requesting the release of Shamy and his transfer to a hospital outside prison within 48 hours.
The wife of imprisoned activist Ahmed Douma, journalist Nourhan Hefzy, also posted news of her husband’s deteriorating health condition on Facebook Tuesday.
Hefzy said Douma was transferred to hospital on Monday, where a blood sample was drawn from him, but “then he was transferred back to prison after only two hours, with the excuse that leaked information indicated a group of April 6 youth were planning to help him escape.”
The source of information, according to Hefzy, was an intelligence officer, which prompted the head of the Security Directorate to order his return to prison.
Douma’s family members were not notified about his hospital visit or allowed to visit him.
“At 9 am he was transferred back to hospital to undergo an endoscopic exploration operation, then he left at 10.30 in very bad condition. We were not allowed to see or check on him because they said he couldn’t stay.”
In mid-April, Hefzy announced her husband was going on hunger strike, along with fellow April 6 Youth Movement members Ahmed Maher, Mohamed Adel and others, to object to their conditions in detention.
Hefzy said that she plans to file a complaint with the General Prosecutor against the Interior Minister and the head of the General Security Directorate who ordered Douma’s return to prison.
Douma and 268 other defendants are facing charges of illegal assembly, illegal arms possession, assaulting military personnel, destroying the Institute d’Egypte and vandalizing government buildings during Cabinet clashes in December 2011.
Douma has already been sentenced to three years in prison for protest-related charges in another case, along with April 6 Youth Movement founder Ahmed Maher and leading member Mohamed Adel.
