Egypt: Nabil Al-Maghraby is Egypt's oldest political prisoner

Alkarama has just received news that former Egyptian intelligence officer, Nabil Al-Maghraby, who was in the reserves during the October 1973 war, is currently Egypt's longest standing political prisoner. He was arrested in 1979, and is amongst the names of those suspected in the assassination of President Anwar Sadat on 6 October 1981. Nearly two years ago Nabil Al-Maghraby was sentenced for the first time - to life imprisonment.

Nabil Mohamed Abdul Al-Mageed Al-Maghraby was sentenced for a second time to an additional three years following a prison break, despite having not participated in the escape.

He was sentenced for a third time, to an additional 25, for allegedly plotting against the Egyptian regime.

Nabil Al-Maghraby, now 70 years old, has served more than thirty years behind bars; health complications associated with his elderly age now plague is everyday life. He suffers from malnutrition and lack of medical care, inside an overcrowded Egyptian prison.

In 2009, Nabil Al-Maghraby filed a complaint before the Administrative Court against the Attorney General and the Minister of Interior calling for an amnesty due to his worsening health condition. However, they did not respond, despite the fact that other prisoners had benefited from being released for health related reasons, despite having not even spent three years in prison.

Alkarama appeals to the Egyptian authorities to release Nabil Al-Maghrab, especially considering the severe effect prison conditions are having on his state of health. Alkarama intends to raise Nabil Al-Maghraby's case with the UN human rights special procedures in due course.