US citizen dies in Egyptian prison

CAIRO (AA) – A U.S. citizen has died in an Egyptian prison after being held for more than six years, Egyptian authorities confirmed Tuesday.

Mustafa Kassem was transferred to hospital on Sunday for treatment, but he died on Monday, Egypt's attorney-general said in a statement.

The statement said the attorney-general has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of Kassem's death.

Earlier, the U.S.-funded Al-Hurra TV said Kassem, who was an Egyptian American, had died after staging a hunger strike.

There was no comment from the U.S. authorities on Kassem's death.

Kassem was arrested in 2013 following the dispersal of a major protest camp in support of former President Mohamed Morsi in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square.

While Egyptian authorities say only 623 people were killed when security forces violently dispersed the camp, opponents put the death toll at thousands.

Morsi, who was removed from power in a military coup in 2013, died during a trial session on "espionage" charges last year.

In September 2018, Kassem was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Shortly after his sentence, he sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump imploring for his help.

In December, the U.S. State Department demanded the Egyptian authorities to release him. Trump once mentioned his name to be released.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara