Mohamed Morsy represented both the zenith of the Arab Spring and its almost universal failure. He became Egypt's first democratically-elected president in 2012, but after a year of deepening chaos was forced from office in a coup led by then-defense minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
Al-Sisi's government kept Morsy in jail from the moment he was overthrown on July 3, 2013. Human rights groups warned that his poor health (he had diabetes as well as liver and kidney ailments) and his prolonged solitary confinement would lead to his premature death. His son Abdullah told CNN Monday that "He was denied visits. The family was able to see him only three times since 2013."
Last year, a group of visiting British parliamentarians said his "inadequate care" would likely cause a "rapid deterioration of his long-term conditions, which is likely to lead to premature death."
Amnesty International reacted to Morsy's death by saying: "The Egyptian authorities have a proven track record of holding prisoners in solitary confinement for long periods and in harsh conditions."
By some estimates, some 60,000 Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters are being held in Egyptian jails. Human rights groups have documented dozens of cases of torture.
source: CNN
