Following the July death of a young man held in police custody in Alexandria, claimed by a rights organization to be the result of his subjection to torture, investigating authorities issued an official statement last week to absolve the police force of any responsibility in the case.

An Egyptian human rights group said on Wednesday that a 19-year-old was tortured to death in custody in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, while the interior ministry claimed the detainee died of natural causes.

A number of Egyptian human rights groups jointly denounced on Tuesday violations reportedly committed, including physical assault and medical negligence, against two jailed activists earlier this month.

Mona Seif said on Tuesday that all contact with her brother, prominent Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah, has been cut off completely, as his hunger strike reached day 115.

Egypt released human rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan from the Qanater jail on Monday after spending nearly four years in pre-trial detention, a rights group said.

“In truth, we had intensive discussions,” Diaa Rashwan told around 200 journalists assembled on Tuesday evening after another five-hour closed-door coordinating session for the National Dialogue, the state initiative being heralded as a forum for political discussion and inclusivity.

Local and international human rights groups estimate that Egypt has been holding as many as 60,000 political prisoners and detainees behind bars since president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi took office.

Egypt has reportedly released an unspecified number of detained dissident politicians and journalists in the wake of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s meeting with US President Joe Biden during the Jeddah Security and Development Summit on Saturday.

Egypt’s Presidential Pardon Committee yesterday said it would begin the procedures of releasing 78 prisoners of conscience.

A group of US nationals and residents whose relatives are detained in Saudi Arabia and Egypt are urging President Joe Biden to help secure their freedom as he prepares to travel to the Middle East this month to meet with the leaders of both countries.