Omar Marei’s wife begins hunger strike over alleged medical neglect

Nora El Sayed, the wife of filmmaker and screenwriter Omar Salah Marei, has announced a three-day partial hunger strike to protest what she described as deliberate medical neglect and other violations against her imprisoned husband. Nora is also protesting the confiscation of his books, personal papers, writings, notes, creative projects and pens.

Marei’s wife said in a Facebook post that she decided to begin the strike after visiting him on Nov. 5. She held the authorities and detention center officials responsible for his health and safety, and for any deterioration in his condition. She said he had stopped taking his medication in protest over the failure to provide him with clear medical information about his condition.

Marei is approaching his sixth month in pretrial detention at the 10th of Ramadan 6 Rehabilitation and Correction Center. He was arrested on May 11, 2026, in connection with Case No. 3383 of 2026 (Supreme State Security Prosecution), on charges related to publishing and expressing opinions, according to previous statements by his family.

According to a statement issued by the filmmaker’s family on Saturday, Marei suffers from persistent swelling and pain in his hand and wrist following surgery to repair a fracture with plates and screws before his arrest. His condition requires close medical monitoring and physical therapy to restore mobility to his hand, which has been impaired since his detention.

Marei had offered to pay for his treatment himself, his family said. However, the authorities also rejected requests from his defense team for him to be examined by a vascular surgeon.

The detention center’s administration had also denied Marei, his family and his lawyers access to the results of his scans and medical tests, as well as copies they could share with his doctors outside the facility, according to the family statement.

It said he had been verbally informed of his thyroid test results, which showed changes in thyroid activity requiring an adjustment to his medication dosage. Without access to specialist medical supervision, he stopped taking the medication a week ago.

The family also said Marei’s cellblock was searched in what it described as an operation involving humiliating treatment. His personal belongings were rummaged through, and all his papers, notes, personal reflections, creative projects, writings, pens and authorized books were confiscated.

Marei’s family described the confiscation as an unlawful denial of his right to read and write and a form of collective punishment that violates human dignity.

The family said it had sent four official telegrams to Prosecutor General Mohamed Shawky and Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfiq, demanding an urgent investigation into the search and confiscation of Marei’s creative work, actions which violate Article 30 of the Prisons Regulation Law and Article 15 of its executive regulations.

It also called for the return of Marei’s books and writing materials, access to necessary medical care and examination by specialists. The family renewed its demand for his immediate release, arguing that there were no grounds for keeping him in pretrial detention.