The Cairo Criminal Court adjourned the trial of political activist Ahmed Douma and 268 others to Sept. 23—in the case known as the “Ministers’ Cabinet” protests of 2011—amid renewed calls to save his life after his health has deteriorated severely since he started a hunger strike 20 days ago.
Douma is serving a three-year prison sentence issued against him last April for violating the 2013 Protest Law in protests in front of the Abdeen Court in November 2013.
Following his release on bail Monday, activist Alaa Abdel Fattah posted on his Facebook page: “Douma needs to be taken to court in an ambulance and use a wheelchair. He should not be kept in the glass cell because the cold of the AC. Security forces continue to ignore these simple demands.”
Authorities however have not completely ignored the demands, as Douma indeed arrived to court in an ambulance, but the court would not allow him to remain outside the glass cell, according to his defense team member Mahmoud Belal on Twitter.
Belal also tweeted that Douma accused the court of being politically biased against him and other young “revolutionaries,” and demanded it drop the case.
Douma’s wife Nourhan Hefzi published an open letter in Youm7 Monday addressing President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi saying: “Mr. President, we once shared a revolution against tyranny, and a dream to liberate this country. We had high hopes that you would embrace the revolutionary youth.”
Rights’ lawyer Khaled Ali, who works with detained activists, visited Douma in prison Tuesday and concluded that Douma was at risk of either “death or paralysis,” he stated on his official Twitter account.
On Sept. 4, the government sponsored National Council for Human Rights, which has been conducting visits to investigate the conditions of prisoners’ detention, issued a report in which it recommended Douma be transferred to an outside hospital where he would be able to have proper medical tests and supervision.
Activists led by Hefzi have been supporting Douma for months through rallies calling on authorities to allow him proper medical treatment, but with no response according to their claims.
