On Thursday, tens of family members gathered in front of the Press Syndicate to protest the treatment of the prisoners, demanding that the ministry allow winter clothing and visits.

The relatives at the protest, which was organised the by the Association of Relatives of the Al-Aqrab Prison Detainees, raised pictures of the detainees and told stories of alleged violations.

The protesters claimed to deliver the “complaints and sufferings” of the detainees to the public.

In a related incident, 16 local NGOs, including the state backed National Center for Human Rights, demanded the establishment of a “independent investigation team to check upon the status of the prisoners” in Al-Aqrab.

Al-Aqrab Prison was built in 1993 under the reign of notorious minister of interior Habib Al-Adly, and hosted many political prisoners and high-profile inmates accused of being involved in terrorist activities. It continued to be used to host defendants accused of violence and terrorism.

Photos by Asmaa Gamal and Mahmoud Fekry