CAIRO: University professor Hend Nafie, a protester who was detained during the deadly clashes with army forces near Cabinet last week, went on hunger strike in protest at her maltreatment in Sayed Galal hospital, where she is being handcuffed to the bed. Nafie was arrested during the clashes and was missing for a couple of days before lawyers found out she was hospitalized at El-Kobba military hospital after being tortured by army forces. According to the head of the Egyptian Center of Social and Economic Rights Khaled Ali, Nafie had refused to accept a hospital visit by the head of the ruling military council Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and chanted against military rule as he approached. This resulted in the bad treatment she received by the hospital administration, he said. Lawyers filed a complaint to transfer her from El-Kobba hospital to Sayed Galal hospital where, she complains, the maltreatment continued. "The hospital staff rejects Nafie and other protesters because they believe protesting is wrong in the first place," Ali said, adding that the center filed a complaint against the hospital. "Lawyers and some activists are trying to convince her to end her hunger strike due to her bad medical condition," Ali added. Meanwhile, 123 detained protesters remain in custody pending a ruling by the Zeinhom prosecution after being interrogated Tuesday for charges of using violence against army personnel, vandalizing public property and illegal assembly, lawyer Malek Adly told Daily News Egypt on Wednesday. A total of 157 protesters were arrested during the clashes, most of them badly injured, after being severely tortured by army forces. Lawyers say that 123 are still in custody while the rest were released. One of the detained protesters, Mohamed Mohy El-Din, died in custody because medical treatment was not provided despite suffering severe injuries.
