Egypt’s Interior Minister said on Tuesday that a US detainee who died in a prison hospital thisweek had received proper medical care during his detention. The ministry refuted claims circulated abroad that Mostafa Kassem had a “staged trial”, and that his detention led to the deterioration of his health condition.
“Kassem had his trial before his normal judge among other defendants. The court acquitted those proved to be not guilty and convicted those, including Kassem, who proved to commit terrorist acts, including putting property on fire and attempted murder,” the ministry said.
The ministry addded that Kassem enjoyed his legitimate rights, including his rights to receive medical care, family visits, as well as envoys from the US embassy.
The ministry noted that Kassem insisted on going into a hunger strike despite his health condition as he suffered from diabetes. “However, all legal and medical procedures were offered for him,” the ministry concluded.
Earlier on Monday, Egypt’s Prosecutor General Hamada El-Saway ordered an autopsy and investigation into the death of the Egyptian-US national.
Kassem, 54, went on hunger strike last year to protest his conviction, claiming he was wrongfully imprisoned.
In 2013, while he was in Egypt, he was arrested.
In September 2018, Kassem was sentenced to 15 years in prison in the case known as the “Rabaa Muslim Brotherhood sit-in dispersal” over accusations of “murder and inciting violence.”
