Lawsuit calls to end political activist’s solitary confinement

CAIRO – 2 March 2017: Two lawyers have filed a lawsuit calling for a stop to political detainee Ahmed Doma’s solitary confinement in maximum-security Torha Prison, south of Cairo, Youm7 reported Thursday.


The lawsuit was filed Wednesday before a Cairo Administrative Court against Minister of Interior Magdy Abdel Ghaffar, Attorney General Nabil Sadek, and Interior Minister Aide for Prison Sector Affairs Mahmoud Diab for holding Doma in solitary confinement.


Lawyers Khaled Ali and Malek Adly said in their lawsuit that keeping Doma in solitary confinement is unconstitutional, adding that such punishment could be applied if the prisoner committed a violation during incarceration per Article 43 of the Prison Law.


The suit alleges that the prison administration placed Doma in solitary confinement as soon as he began his sentence, although he had not committed any violation to land him in solitary. Per the Prison Law, solitary confinement shall not last for more than 30 days.


On June 22, 2015 Doma’s wife, Nourhan Hefzy, posted a statement on her Facebook account complaining about the prison conditions and saying her husband was suffering from the solitary confinement.


Doma was sentenced to 31 years in prison; he is serving 25 years over 2011 anti-Supreme Council of the Armed Forces protests outside the Cabinet headquarters, and another three-year prison term for contempt of court. Doma has already served a three-year prison sentence handed down to him and two others for participating in a November 2013 protest in violation of the controversial 2013 Protest Law, which requires prior police permits for protests.