Urdu Report Editorial Team
ISLAMABAD: After meeting PTI founder Imran Khan at PIMS Hospital, Dr Uzma Niazi referred to former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, saying that Imran Khan compared his situation during the meeting with the circumstances faced by Morsi.
According to Dr Uzma, Imran Khan told her that he was being kept in solitary confinement, that he was being subjected to injustice and torture, and that he was not being provided with adequate medical facilities. She said Imran Khan mentioned Mohamed Morsi several times during their conversation.
PTI has long maintained that Imran Khan is being kept in solitary confinement at Adiala Jail and is not being provided with adequate medical treatment. The Supreme Court, on August 18, ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment.
The government, however, maintains that Imran Khan is being provided with all necessary medical facilities in jail. Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar has also said that medical facilities will continue to be provided to Imran Khan whenever required.
Mohamed Morsi’s Life and Political Career
Mohamed Morsi was born in Egypt’s Sharqia Governorate in 1951. He studied engineering at Cairo University and later completed a PhD in engineering in the United States.
Morsi was associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2012, the Brotherhood’s political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, nominated him as its presidential candidate. After winning the presidential election, he became Egypt’s first democratically elected president.
His government, however, did not last long. Following massive protests against his rule in 2013, the Egyptian military removed Morsi from power on July 3 and arrested him.
After being removed from office, Morsi faced several trials. He was prosecuted on charges including the detention and alleged mistreatment of protesters, contacts with foreign organizations and other allegations.
Mohamed Morsi’s Statements in Court
Mohamed Morsi appeared in court several times during the trials. During one important hearing, he described his removal from power as a military coup and questioned the legitimacy of the court.
Morsi maintained that, under the constitution, he remained Egypt’s president and had been forcibly imprisoned. He also strongly protested his arrest and removal from office.
He was later sentenced in several cases. His supporters described the proceedings as political persecution, while Egyptian authorities maintained that he was convicted through legal proceedings.
Morsi’s Soundproof Glass Cage in Court
Mohamed Morsi was kept in a soundproof glass cage during court hearings. The arrangement restricted his direct communication with other people in the courtroom and allowed the court to control the audio from the cage.
Morsi was also inside the cage during his final hearing on June 17, 2019. He addressed the court for approximately five minutes before suddenly collapsing.
Morsi’s supporters and human rights activists raised concerns about the conditions under which he was kept in court and prison, while Egyptian authorities said the soundproof cage was part of the security arrangements.
Prison Conditions, Medical Care and Human Rights Concerns
Morsi’s family and human rights organizations repeatedly expressed concerns about his prolonged solitary confinement and access to medical care.
His family said Morsi was not given adequate access to medical treatment and that strict restrictions were imposed on family visits. Human rights organizations also raised concerns about his conditions of detention.
Morsi’s family and supporters alleged that the lack of adequate treatment for his medical conditions seriously affected his health. Egyptian authorities, however, rejected these allegations.
Former Egyptian president and Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, who came to power following the country’s first free elections in 2012, was removed from office by the military a year later.
How Did Mohamed Morsi Die?
On June 17, 2019, Mohamed Morsi suddenly collapsed during a court hearing in Cairo and later died.
The 67-year-old Morsi had addressed the court shortly before his death. He was inside a glass cage during the hearing and warned that he had “many secrets” that he could reveal. A few minutes later, he collapsed inside the cage.
According to Egyptian state television, Morsi died before he could be taken to hospital.
Egyptian authorities said that Morsi died of a heart attack. However, his family and some human rights organizations linked his death to his prison conditions, alleged lack of adequate medical care and prolonged solitary confinement.
Mohamed Morsi’s death remains a controversial event in Egypt’s political history.
Following Dr Uzma’s recent statement regarding Imran Khan, Morsi’s imprisonment, his statements in court, his appearance in a soundproof glass cage and the circumstances surrounding his death have once again become part of the political debate in Pakistan.
