Arabic press review: Former Egyptian presidential hopeful faces 'slow murder'

Aboul Fotouh faces 'slow murder'

Former Egyptian presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, who is currently being held in a prison in Cairo, is facing "slow death due to medical negligence," according to the London-based newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi.

According to nine Egyptian human rights organisations, prison administrators have refused to transfer Aboul Fotouh to a hospital for treatment despite the fact that he has suffered four consecutive heart attacks in less than three months. 

The prison also insists that the 67-year-old is held in solitary confinement in a cell that is below even the lowest standard of prisoners' welfare, the NGOs said.

They say Aboul Fotouh, who was arrested in February, is facing "slow murder".

Hamas condemns Prince Charles' over Israel celebration 

Hamas has criticised Prince Charles for his plans to attend an Israeli ceremony in London commemorating the 70th anniversary of the country, according to online news site Arabi21.

In a statement released this week, the Palestinian movement said the prince's participation at the 24 May event is "a sign of indifference towards the displacement and deportation of millions of Palestinian people, and ignores the heinous massacres which Zionist gangs committed against them in 1948".

The Jewish Chronicle reported that Charles will be the guest of honour at the "Platinum — Celebrating Israel at 70" concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

His attendance, Hamas said, "will serve as proof of the ongoing collusion between British and the Israeli occupation against the Palestinians, who are the real owners of this land" and "encourages the Israeli occupation to continue its crimes, massacres, and violations against our people, land, and holy sites".

Suspects in murder of Tunisian activist to be tried

Suspects in the 1987 murder of Tunisian political activist Nabil al-Baraketi will be brought before the country's judiciary, according to Tunisian newspaper, Assabah.

Born in 1961, Baraketi joined the left-wing student struggle and took part in the 1984 "Bread Intifada" riots, which led to his first arrest.

He then joined the Communist Party and was later arrested again and died while he was being tortured in a Tunisian security centre, the newspaper reported.

Among the suspects that will be called for the hearings are a former minister, a doctor and senior security officials, according to Assabah.

Tunisia's Truth and Justice Commission - set up in 2014 to establish the facts about violations of human rights since the country's independence - referred Baraketi's case to the country's judicial department. Nabil's brother, Rida al-Baraketi, testified in front of the committee in November 2016. 

Jobless Jordanian dies in self-immolation

A Jordanian man in his twenties died this week after using gasoline to set himself on fire, unable to find a job and living in poverty, according to the Jordanian newspaper Al-Ghad.

A medical source said that the young man, whom the paper did not name, arrived at the hospital in critical condition suffering from burns all over his body. Doctors placed him in intensive care and offered treatment, but he died of severe injuries.

The relatives of the deceased man told Al-Ghad: "The difficult economic situation and his joblessness were behind his decision to pour gasoline on his body and burn himself in a deserted area."

* Arabic press review is a digest of reports that are not independently verified as accurate by Middle East Eye.