State Security renews detention of two dentists and a pharmacist

State Security Prosecution on Tuesday renewed the detention of two dentists and a pharmacist for 15 days over their peaceful protest against Health Ministry decisions changing the placement system for medical graduates, the Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR) said on Wednesday.

In a statement, EFHR said the three detainees, who have been held for about a month in 10th of Ramadan Prison, face charges of “joining a terrorist group” and “spreading false news.” They were arrested at the end of February over union and solidarity activity opposing the health minister’s decision to limit placement for 2023 graduates in dentistry, pharmacy, and physical therapy to about 40%.

EFHR said the three had only coordinated and expressed their views on social media to demand placements for all graduates, while one of them also took part in filing a lawsuit challenging the health minister’s decision.

Earlier, in a March 18 statement, 16 political, rights, and union groups condemned what they described as a “security campaign targeting” Mohamed Osama, Mostafa Orabi, and pharmacist Ihab Sameh over their peaceful rejection of the placement decisions.

The signatories said the charges brought against the three medical professionals were “vague accusations aimed at punishing activists who used peaceful legal and union channels to express their demands.”

They also called for serious talks with representatives of medical graduates to resolve the placement crisis in a way that ensures fairness, transparency, and the right to decent work.

The signatories said pursuing the doctors from their homes and clinics because they defended the “right to placement” amounted to a direct assault on union activity and access to the courts.