Activists circulated videos on Facebook and X platforms on the early morning of Monday, July 28, documenting clashes between a number of residents of the city of Balqas in the Dakahlia Governorate and security forces, following the announcement of the death of university student Ayman Sabry inside Balqas Police Station, amid accusations of torture during his detention.
In response, Egypt’s Ministry of Interior issued an official statement hours after the videos were shared, stating that it had followed up on reports regarding the “death of a detainee inside his cell at Balqas Police Station” and had reviewed the details of the incident.
The statement clarified that the deceased had been held in pretrial detention based on a decision from the Public Prosecution dated July 21, in connection with investigations into a drug trafficking case and possession of a firearm. The ministry added that the detainee suddenly felt unwell on July 26 and was transferred to a hospital for treatment, but he later died.
The statement indicated that the Public Prosecution had listened to the testimonies of two detainees who were with him in the cell, and neither accused anyone of causing the death or suspected any criminal intent. The ministry also confirmed that the deceased’s family was informed of the details of the incident at the time, and that the Public Prosecution opened an investigation and tasked forensic medicine with performing an autopsy to determine the cause of death, after which permission for burial was granted.
On the other hand, human rights activists called for a transparent investigation into the incident. Lawyer Mohamed Ramadan wrote on his Facebook: “The Attorney General must open an investigation into the death of Ayman Sabry inside Balqas Police Station, with Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Sadiq, Head of Investigations, and Colonel Mohamed Gomaa, the station’s officer.”
This incident, according to human rights organizations, marks a new chapter in a series of deaths inside police stations and detention centers in Egypt, where some security personnel are accused of practicing torture or causing death due to medical neglect. Activists described the Balqas incident as a “new Khaled Said,” referring to the young man whose death in 2010 became a symbol of a broad protest movement that culminated in the January 2011 revolution.
The Ministry of Interior’s official page published a brief statement on Tuesday, July 16, 2025, citing a “security source,” announcing the referral of two police officers for investigation after they were found to have mistreated citizens inside First Police Station of 10th of Ramadan City in the Sharqia Governorate, in violation of instructions regarding the proper treatment of citizens.
The source explained that this action is part of the ministry’s principles, which emphasize the commitment of its staff to standards of discipline and professional conduct with citizens, as well as holding accountable any violations or misconduct that occur during the performance of their duties.
The statement did not provide further details about the incident or the names of the officers being investigated, nor did it clarify whether the affected citizens had filed formal complaints or whether the incident had been documented with video footage. These elements were notably absent from the published statement.
This brief statement follows repeated accusations against police officers and sergeants of causing deaths inside police stations and detention places in Egypt, either under mysterious circumstances or amid accusations of violations against detainees, including torture, medical neglect, overcrowding, and the absence of basic care, as documented by Egyptian and international human rights organizations.
In contrast, the Ministry of Interior continues to deny the accusations, offering only brief statements suggesting “natural death” or “severe circulatory collapse.” However, behind this description, there is often a weakened body, a cry for help that went unheard, or one that could not be verified, in the absence of accountability and the failure of the perpetrators to face justice.
Zawia3 documented 24 cases of death inside various police stations across different governorates between January 2024 and June 2025, excluding the recent incident in Balqas. These stories were collected based on testimonies published by the victims’ families, as well as reports issued by human rights organizations working to monitor and document deaths inside detention places, specifically police stations, where incidents of citizens’ deaths during detention periods have repeatedly occurred.
Al-Omrania Police Station at the Forefront of Deaths
The highest number of detainee deaths during the monitoring period was recorded at Al-Omrania Police Station in Giza Governorate, with seven citizens dying there out of a total of 25 cases documented in various police stations and detention centers between January 2024 and mid-2025.
In this context, the “Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights” filed a complaint to the Attorney General, calling for the suspension of the officers responsible for managing the station and for an urgent investigation into these successive deaths. The initiative emphasized in its complaint that there were suspicions of torture or gross medical neglect.
The initiative stressed that the continued occurrence of these incidents without accountability strengthens the climate of impunity and deepens the human rights crisis inside detention centers, especially in the absence of judicial and independent human rights oversight over police stations.
The complaint, filed by the initiative as the legal representative of the victims’ families, was registered under number 42850 of 2025 (Attorney General’s Petitions) and referred to the Omrania Prosecution on June 14 for “necessary legal action.”
Of the seven victims, five detainees were involved in the same case dating back to January 2023. One of them, a 25-year-old man, died after 17 months of detention due to pneumonia that developed while in custody. He was transferred to the hospital after his condition worsened, but he died later.
The second victim was 36 years old, and he died due to internal bleeding, for which he was taken to the hospital only once, after which he was returned to custody. He was not transferred again despite his deteriorating condition, until he was found dead in his cell.
The third case involved a 23-year-old man who died after 19 months of detention, with no official information provided regarding the circumstances of his death.
Two other detainees from the same case, one aged 22 and the other 44, also died while in custody at the police station.
Despite a final ruling sentencing them to three years of imprisonment, none of the detainees were transferred to a correction and rehabilitation center as stipulated by the Prison Law. Instead, they remained detained in the police station, which violates Article 3 of the law, which mandates that those sentenced to more than three months must be placed in a rehabilitation center, unless the remaining sentence is shorter.
According to the complaint, all the victims in this case had over a year remaining on their sentences, making their continued detention illegal and depriving them of basic rights such as exercise and appropriate medical care.
In a second case dating back to 2025, a 44-year-old detainee died less than a month after his detention at the police station, with the authorities failing to announce the cause of death. He had been sentenced to one year in prison, but the case was closed due to his death before the appeal could be heard.
In the third case, a 42-year-old man died while in pretrial detention. He had cancer and multiple sclerosis, a disease that affects the nervous system. He passed away after weeks of being arrested, under conditions that were unsuitable for his health condition, and without the necessary medical care.
Following the complaint, the Public Prosecution decided to open an official investigation into the deaths at Al-Omrania Police Station, with a focus on the case of the detainee suffering from cancer and multiple sclerosis. This decision represents a rare step in dealing with police station deaths, which rarely lead to criminal investigations, especially when related to medical neglect or mistreatment.
Zagazig Police Station: 6 Deaths in Two Days
In a report published on July 15, 2024, the Justice Committee documented the deaths of six detainees inside Zagazig Police Station in the Sharqia Governorate during July 2024. The committee stated that the deaths occurred as a result of what it described as “horrific detention conditions,” including overcrowding in the cells, high temperatures, lack of ventilation, and the absence of medical care. According to the report, one of the victims was Mohamed Farouk Hassanien, 49 years old, who died on July 15, 2024, along with five other detainees who were all held on criminal charges. Detailed information about the other victims has not been made available yet.
Despite the severity of the incident and the number of victims, the Ministry of Interior has not issued any official statement, and the Public Prosecution has not announced the opening of an independent investigation. This incident is considered one of the largest cases of mass deaths inside Egyptian police stations in recent years, raising urgent questions about safety and security standards in detention centers and the extent to which the law and constitution are adhered to regarding detainee rights.
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Sequential Deaths in Different Locations
From Al-Omrania Police Station to Beheira and Sharqia, patterns of death and neglect within detention places continue to repeat in successive incidents documented by independent human rights organizations.
In June 2024, the Justice Committee documented two deaths inside Kafr El-Dawar Police Station in Beheira Governorate, involving Ahmed Baraa (31 years old) and Mohamed Morsi. The organization noted that the two victims died as a result of torture by security personnel, amid what it described as “extremely harsh” detention conditions, including severe overcrowding in the cells, lack of healthcare, poor ventilation, and high temperatures.
In Sharqia Governorate, Abdullah Siam, a citizen, died inside Belbeis Police Station on September 2, 2024, as a result of what human rights reports described as “severe torture and brutal beating,” in addition to being denied medical treatment despite suffering from chronic illnesses, including liver disease and AIDS. According to documented testimonies, the police station was aware of his health condition but refused to provide the necessary medication, leading to his deteriorating condition and death in detention.
In a separate incident at the same station, citizen Said El-Agroudi (33 years old) also died in the same month due to what the Justice Committee described as “gross medical neglect.” The organization reported that clear symptoms of illness appeared on El-Agroudi, but he was left without any medical care until he took his last breath, with complete disregard for his condition.
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From Gerga to Imbaba: A Repeated Narrative of Death in Custody
On August 18, 2024, young Mustafa Mahmoud Karim Amin (28 years old) died inside Gerga Police Station in Sohag Governorate, under conditions described by the Egyptian Network for Human Rights as “harsh and inhumane.” According to the network’s statement, Mustafa was subjected to severe violations from the moment of his arrest, including beatings, mistreatment, and life-threatening detention conditions, including overcrowded cells, lack of medical care, and poor ventilation.
In response, the newspaper “Akhbar Al-Youm” quoted a security source categorically denying these allegations, affirming that the death was “natural”—a repeated narrative in many cases of death inside detention places, without detailed medical reports or announcements of official investigations.
In Greater Cairo and Gharbia, a series of incidents unfolded, with testimonies from the victims suggesting they had been subjected to torture or direct violence. On August 4, 2024, Mohamed El-Sayed Qandeel, known as “Mohanned Qandeel,” died inside Second Tanta Police Station after being attacked by four detainees before his first trial session, according to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. About a year later, on May 28, 2025, the Second Tanta Misdemeanor Appeals Court looked into the appeal filed by the four defendants and upheld the previous judgment of one year in prison, amid continuing questions about the police station’s responsibility in protecting detainees.
On April 10, 2025, Mahmoud Mohamed Asaad, known as “Mahmoud Mika,” died inside Khalifa Police Station in Cairo, just days after his arrest. According to a joint report published by Zawia3 and the Egyptian Initiative, and based on testimonies from his mother and lawyer, severe injuries were found on his body, suggesting he had been tortured, which likely led directly to his death.
Following the spread of news about the death, the Ministry of Interior issued an official statement denying any torture, offering an alternative version stating that the young man was detained on a drug-related charge, had been involved in two altercations with other inmates, then fell ill and died later in the hospital. However, the statement did not mention any reference to opening an official investigation, only confirming that “legal measures” had been taken without further details.
In an incident documented by the Justice Committee in May 2025, Abdel Rahman Mohamed Hassan died inside the Investigations Unit of Sayyida Zainab Police Station, hours after his detention, amid circumstances suggesting he was tortured to death.
In June 2024, both the “Nadwa” Human Rights Organization and the Egyptian Network for Human Rights documented the death of young Shihab Ahmed Kahla (25 years old) inside Imbaba Police Station in Giza Governorate under mysterious circumstances. “Nadwa” also mentioned unconfirmed reports about the deaths of three other detainees in the same station in close succession, with no official clarifications or medical reports issued by the Ministry of Interior.
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Death During Transfer
In another incident that sparked widespread controversy, Diaa Rabi’ Eid, a medical laboratory technician, died on August 28, 2024, after falling from the ninth floor while a police force was present in his home to execute an arrest warrant.
According to what was posted on the “Matasadda’ash” (Don’t Believe) page, the victim’s family accused the police officers of assaulting him before his fall. However, the Public Prosecution has not announced the results of any criminal investigation to date.
The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Qasr El-Nil Police Station and raised questions about the safety of arrest procedures and the handling of suspects inside their homes.
In another case, the Justice Committee documented the death of citizen Hossam El-Din Kamal Abdel-Megid Abdel-Moneim (59 years old), who passed away while being transported in a police van from Helwan Police Station to Gamasa Prison on August 27, 2024. He suffered a severe heart attack inside the van, where he spent more than ten hours without ventilation or medical care.
According to the committee, Gamasa Prison management refused to accept him after his death, and he was later transferred to a nearby hospital without notifying his family officially. The family only learned of his death after two days, through an unofficial source.
Abdel-Moneim had suffered from heart problems, breathing difficulties, and circulatory failure, but he did not receive any medical treatment during his detention or while being transferred.
The committee points out that he had completed a three-year prison sentence in July 2024 for a politically motivated case and was supposed to be released. However, the authorities re-detained him on new charges, and he spent his last weeks moving between various police stations under harsh detention conditions.
The Justice Committee called for an urgent investigation into the incident, demanding accountability for those responsible for the neglect that led to the death. They also urged a review of the policies of re-detaining and the conditions of transfer and detention.
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Deaths in Violation of the Constitution and Law
National laws, the Egyptian constitution, and international charters obligate the Egyptian state to protect the rights of detainees, foremost among them the right to life and dignity. Article 55 of the Egyptian constitution stipulates that “anyone who is arrested or detained shall be treated in a way that preserves their dignity, and they shall not be tortured, intimidated, coerced, or harmed physically or morally,” while Article 60 explicitly prohibits “the torture of any person or subjecting them to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.” Article 96 affirms that “the accused is innocent until proven guilty,” which requires that their rights be respected throughout their period of detention.
On the international level, Egypt is bound by several agreements and charters that protect the rights of individuals in places of detention, the most prominent being the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Egypt ratified in 1982. Article 6 of the covenant states that “the right to life is inherent to every human being. The law must protect this right, and no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of their life.” Article 7 of the same covenant also asserts that “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment,” and obliges state parties to ensure this absolute prohibition in all circumstances, including within prisons and places of detention.
Moreover, Egypt has been a party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment since 1986, clearly committing itself to take legislative, administrative, and judicial measures to prevent torture on its territory. Article 2 of the convention states that “each state party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial, or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.” The convention also stresses, in Article 12, that the competent authorities must conduct a prompt and impartial investigation whenever there are reasonable grounds to believe that an act of torture has been committed.
Furthermore, the United Nations’ Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules) affirm detainees’ right to receive healthcare equivalent to that available in the community and emphasize the necessity of providing appropriate physical and mental conditions in detention facilities, prohibiting imprisonment in conditions that could amount to inhuman treatment.
In this context, these violations intersect with repeated criticisms directed at Egypt within the United Nations human rights mechanisms, particularly the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, which Egypt underwent last in January 2024 before the Human Rights Council in Geneva, with the final report being adopted in the past few days.
During the review session, Egypt received 373 recommendations from 137 countries, including clear criticisms of detention conditions, explicit calls for investigations into violations against detainees, and calls for the improvement of detention conditions and the respect for international standards.
Although the Egyptian government accepted some of the relevant recommendations, including those related to anti-torture efforts and improving prison conditions, the documented field incidents in this report reveal a wide gap between official rhetoric and actual practices, especially concerning impunity and the absence of independent oversight mechanisms for detention places.
It is important to note that reports from organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, and other groups have clearly pointed out that Egypt’s human rights environment remains repressive, with continuing systematic patterns of torture, mistreatment, and medical neglect in prisons and police stations.
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Structural Failure Without Accountability or Oversight
In this context, Sara Hamza, a human rights researcher, says: “At the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, we have documented about 25 cases of deaths inside police stations alone, from January 2024 to mid-2025, the same period covered by this report. This number reflects a systematic pattern of violations within detention places.”
She adds in her conversation with Zawia3: “Until now, the authorities have not taken any real or serious actions to stop this phenomenon. Despite the numerous complaints, testimonies, and human rights reports, there is no transparent accountability or independent investigations in the vast majority of cases. Even in cases of death resulting from altercations between detainees themselves, the Ministry of Interior remains legally responsible, as it is the authority overseeing detention places and ensuring the safety of all detainees without discrimination.”
Hamza explains that: “The causes of death we have documented range from medical neglect and ill-treatment to torture, in addition to inhuman detention conditions, such as severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, and a lack of healthcare. Some rooms in the stations contain more than 30 people in a small space unfit for humans.”
She continues, “The recurring patterns of deaths indicate a structural flaw in the detention management system and a complete absence of independent oversight or any fundamental reform. Police stations remain closed to visits by civil society organizations, and there is no effective oversight mechanism to assess the suitability of these places.”
The human rights researcher concludes her comments by asserting that: “The state, under the Egyptian constitution and the international agreements it has ratified, is obligated not only to prevent violations but also to investigate every death or serious injury in detention places, hold those responsible accountable, and compensate the victims and their families. Unfortunately, this does not happen.”
On his part, human rights lawyer Halim Hanish, speaking to Zawia3, says: “Although the January 25 Revolution broke out in protest against the violations of the Ministry of Interior, exemplified by the killing of Khaled Said, which was one of the direct sparks for the revolution, the security apparatus has not stopped committing crimes against citizens in detention places. After more than 15 years, the old practices continue, and one could even say that they have worsened.”
He adds, “The violations are no longer limited to political cases, but assaults have become a daily pattern inside police stations, and it is difficult to count them. There are cases exposed due to the victim’s death, but many other cases of torture and humiliation pass unnoticed because many victims fear speaking out about what they endured, fearing retaliation or a lack of protection guarantees.”
Hanish holds the state directly responsible, explaining: “What keeps this pattern going is the complete lack of accountability. We have not seen any police officer held seriously accountable for cases of torture, killing, or neglect. Even in the rare cases where some security personnel are referred for trial, the sentences are light, and they are often released after a short period, even returning to their positions.”
He concludes by emphasizing that: “The violations against criminal detainees can sometimes be harsher and more brutal than those suffered by political detainees, due to the absence of documentation, oversight, and human rights interaction with this group.”
In June 2010, young Khaled Said became a symbol of Egyptian anger against the practices of the Ministry of Interior after he was killed by police officers in Alexandria. He was beaten inside an internet cafe, then died from severe injuries to his face and body. The killing of Khaled sparked a wave of public outrage, and his image became a symbol of the demand for justice and an end to security oppression, especially after the Ministry of Interior’s attempts to cover up the crime by claiming his death was due to “swallowing a bag of hashish.”
Mass protests erupted under the slogan “We are all Khaled Said,” and this campaign became one of the key sparks that paved the way for the January 25, 2011 revolution, which raised demands for “bread, freedom, social justice, and human dignity” and the cessation of torture in police stations.
However, more than fifteen years later, violations inside detention places continue, and for many, the case of Khaled Said remains an open wound and a painful reminder of the perpetrators’ impunity.
