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Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi died at a court hearing. The United Nations, for its part, wishes to have an independent inquiry. AFP / Ahmed Gomaa / NurPhoto

Egypt on Wednesday (June 19th) accused the UN of wanting to " politicize " the death of Mohamed Morsi. The Egyptian government reacts to the UN Human Rights Bureau's request for a " thorough and independent " investigation into the death of the former Islamist president on Monday.

In a statement, the spokesman of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Ahmed Hafez, denounced this June 19 " in the strongest terms " the UN request after the death in full court of the former president Mohamed Morsi, estimating that it was a " deliberate attempt to politicize a case of natural death ".

For his part, Rupert Colville, spokesman for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said Tuesday, June 18: " Any sudden death in prison must be followed by a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation by a independent body to shed light on the cause of death ".

►Also read: Turkey: Erdogan uses Morsi's death to mobilize his electorate

Mohamed Morsi had been detained for nearly six years and kept in solitary confinement when his death occurred. On Monday, June 17, while speaking in court, he collapsed and could not be revived . " As former President Mohammed Morsi was detained by the Egyptian authorities at the time of his death, the State had the responsibility to ensure that he was treated humanely and that his right to remain alive and to be cared for was respected, "said Mr. Colville.

Detention conditions denounced

In March 2018, an independent British commission, led by Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, denounced the 23-hour isolation of the former president, who had a history of diabetes and kidney failure. Human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW), as well as deputy Crispin Blunt, have also called for an " independent " inquiry into the death of the former 67-year-old Islamist president.

Mohamed Morsi, dismissed in 2013 by the army following popular protests after a short one-year term, was sentenced to a total of 45 years in prison for inciting violence against protesters at the end of 2012 and spying for profit. from Qatar. He was retried after the quashing of two verdicts pronounced against him a death sentence and life imprisonment.

(with AFP)