Egypt

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CountryEgypt
Ministry responsible
Ministry of the Interior
Contact address
Prisons Foundation, El Qolaly, Cairo, Egypt
Head of prison administration (and title)
(Major-General) Zakaria al-Ghamrai
Director of the prisons
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
Circa
120 000
at 2022 (via U.S. State Department human rights report)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
Circa
116
based on an estimated national population of 103.53 million at mid-2022 (from Egyptian national statistics agency figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
Circa
33.3%
(2022)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
3.7%
(31.12.2006)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
1.0%
(of convicted adults, 31.12.2002)
Number of establishments / institutions
78
(2021)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
No official figures have been traced but according to the U.S. State Department human rights report for 2016 the physical conditions in the prisons and detention centres are life-threatening due to overcrowding.
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2001 56,587 84
2006 64,378 87
2011 c 66,000 c 83
2016 c 106,000 c 116
2020 c 114,000 c 114
2001 56,587 84
2006 64,378 87
2011 c 66,000 c 83
2016 c 106,000 c 116
2020 c 114,000 c 114

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Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                  EGYPT

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2001
2006
2022

10,730
6,392
c. 40,000

19.0%
9.9%
c. 33.3%

16
9
c. 39

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                       EGYPT

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2001
2005

2,054
2,453

4.5%
3.6%

3.0
3.4

2006

2,386

3.7%

3.2

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population total
Prison population rate