Egyptian former President Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted by the military in 2013 after one year in office, collasped and died in court room following series of health issues.
Morsi was Egypt’s first freely elected president and suffered from diabetes, liver and kidney disease coupled with neglect during years of imprisonment after his 2013 overthrow
He had also suffered from medical neglect during his imprisonment, compounded by the poor conditions in jail.
“Morsi died today while attending a session in his trial on espionage charges. During the session, he was granted permission to address the judge,” a presenter with Egypt’s state TV said.
“After the session was adjourned, the former president blacked out and then died. His body was taken to a hospital.
The former president’s son, Abdullah Mohamed Morsi, told Reuters news agency that the family did not know the location of his body. He added that the authorities had refused to allow Morsi be buried at his family’s cemetery.
Morsi had a history of health issues, including diabetes and liver and kidney disease. He had suffered from medical neglect during his imprisonment, compounded by the poor conditions in jail.
There have been various reports over the years that Morsi had been mistreated and tortured in jail, with activists saying on Monday his death should be seen in context of the Egyptian authorities’ systematic isolation and mistreatment of political detainees.
Human Rights Watch called the news of Morsi’s death “terrible” but “entirely predictable”, citing the government’s “failure to allow him adequate medical care”.
“The government of Egypt today bears responsibility for his death, given their failure to provide him with adequate medical care or basic prisoner rights,” the group said in a statement to Al Jazeera.
