Conditions, procedures for medical release from prison

CAIRO - 4 August 2018: Medical release has been an option for prisoners who have complicated health problems. The following are the eligibility conditions and procedures of medical release as indicated in article no. 486 of criminal law.

A prisoner can receive medical release, if his illness is life-threatening as determined by a physician delegated from the Forensic Medicine Authority. In case of falling ill while serving the prison sentence, the head of the medical department at the Prisons Authority becomes in charge of making the decision on the release.

If the convict has an illness that can become life-threatening in case he goes to jail, the penalty can be postponed. The duration of the medical release gets deducted from the penalty duration.

The procedure goes as follows:

1) Medical reports on the prisoner’s condition must be presented to the International Cooperation Department at the Public Prosecutor’s office.

2) After checking the reports, the Public Prosecutor’s office refers them to the Prisons Authority.

3) The authority forms a medical committee to prepare a final report that would be submitted to the Public Prosecutor to either issue the medical release permit or not.

4) In case of denying the permit, the prisoner can appeal the Public Prosecutor’s decision at the Administrative Judiciary Court.