The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) has called for a review of the preventive detention period, which can last up to over two years in Egypt -- in violation of the law which specifies that suspects may only remain in remand for a three-month period. In a statement on the occasion of the African Day of Preventive Detention, the Council called for a solution to the problem in Egypt, especially as suspects who are found innocent are only released after spending several years in prison. The statement added that preventive detention causes overcrowding in detention cells due to the huge numbers of prisoners -- often at levels of 300 percent over capacity. The prisons were used for preventive detention to reduce overcrowding in other cells, according to the sources. The organization suggested amendments to the law, including moral and financial compensation for those who have exceeded the term of preventive detention and have been acquitted of charges, Shalaby said.

Source: Egypt Independent April 27, 2017 12:11 UTC