Egypt: death in detention of Moustapha Kassem deemed "avoidable" by Washington

"His death in detention was unnecessary, tragic and preventable." David Schenker, the deputy chief of diplomacy of Mike Pompeo in charge of the Middle East, spoke Monday January 13 in front of journalists to react to the announcement of the death of Moustapha Kassem, a 64 year old Egyptian naturalized American . He had been imprisoned since 2013 in Egyptian jails.

The case of this American national was regularly mentioned by Washigton. Milke Pompeo raised it again in early December with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Choukry. "We will continue to highlight our concerns about human rights and American detainees at every opportunity," added David Schenker.

"The immediate cause of death appears to be heart failure," his family, the non-governmental organizations Pretrial Rights International and The Freedom initiative, said in a statement.

For immediate release | The passing of Mustafa Kassem pic.twitter.com/WIQ9tOQzeR

“Yet Kassem [Mostafa] is one of at least seven US nationals Sissi is holding on political grounds, according to the Freedom Initiative, a Washington-based group that advocates for prisoners held abroad. They include Reem Desouky ... and Mohamad Amashah ”https://t.co/uuxf4NBr7w

Washington "concerns" over press freedom

Washington accuses the Egyptian authorities of "negligence" in the medical follow-up of Moustapha Kassem, who suffered from diabetes and heart problems. According to their press release, he had started a hunger strike when he was sentenced in September 2018, eating only liquids. "Last Thursday, he stopped taking fluids and was soon after transferred to a local hospital, where he died this afternoon," they added.

Moustapha Kassem was arrested in the summer of 2013 while he was in Cairo on vacation. "He had gone to change money in a shopping center", when soldiers asked him for his papers and "beat and arrested him" at the sight of his American passport, according to the NGOs.

He was sentenced in 2018 to fifteen years in prison for participating in demonstrations against the government, but his defense ensures that no evidence concerning him personally was ever presented against him during a trial targeting more than 700 defendants .

Washington recently raised its voice towards the Egyptian government, despite the regular friendship displayed by US President Donald Trump and his counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sissi. Mike Pompeo has thus expressed in recent months his "concerns" about "press freedom and the human rights situation" in Egypt, in reaction to a series of arrests of journalists, intellectuals and political activists after rare protests in September against President al-Sissi.

With AFP

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