Pacifist blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad has been on hunger strike in an Egyptian prison since 23 August. Arrested on 28 March on charges of “insulting the military” for publishing an article exposing the role of the military during and after the revolution, he was sentenced to three years in prison on 10 April.

With his hunger strike, Maikel Nabil Sanad demands his release from prison. An appeal hearing has now been brought forward to 4 October, but his friends and supporters fear that he will not survive that long. As PN went to press, Maikel had lost more than 20% of his weight, and weighed less than 48kg.

Due to several thirst strikes, he suffers from serious health problems which are not being treated in the prison hospital. In messages to his brother on 13 and 14 September, he reportedly said he was “unable to leave bed now” and suffered “loss of vision” as soon as he stood up.

Recently, the authorities threatened Maikel’s brother Mark with imprisonment, if he does not stop speaking out in public in support of Maikel. The authorities also allegedly hid drugs in his bag with the apparent aim of charging him with drug trafficking.