Former Egyptian doctor arrested after alleging abuses at hospital is released on bail, lawyer says

CAIRO (AP) — A former Egyptian doctor was arrested at her home and released on bail Wednesday after posting testimony on social media detailing obstetric violence and mistreatment of women at a university hospital in Alexandria, where she had previously trained as a medical resident.

Authorities raided the home of Omnia Swaydan in Damanhour, Beheira province, around 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday while she was alone and ordered her to turn off her phone before taking her into custody, according to Asmaa Naeim, a lawyer following her case.

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Swaydan appeared Wednesday afternoon at the prosecutor’s office in Alexandria for questioning, Naeim told The Associated Press.

She was questioned on charges of spreading false news and “misusing” social media, according to lawyer Mohamed Ramadan, who attended her interrogation. On Facebook, late Wednesday afternoon, he said she was released on 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($401) bail.

Ramadan didn't immediately respond to requests for further comment. Naeim said that Swaydan's case is ongoing and that she could be brought again for questioning at any point or face charges to which she might face trial and imprisonment.

The arrest came after Swaydan on Monday posted harrowing details of abuses and violations that happened in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of al-Shatabi Hospital, which is a university hospital in Alexandria.

Her post on Facebook detailed incidents she saw that involved women who experienced sexual assault, violence, verbal abuses and intentional medical malpractice and negligence at the hands of doctors and nurses.

On Tuesday, before her arrest, she edited the post to say that she had shared the testimony to encourage a serious review of working conditions and medical practices in the ward, while calling for protections for women, patients and junior doctors.

In response to Swaydan’s post, the Doctors’ Syndicate said in a statement Tuesday that it had not received any official complaints regarding the incidents she described and urged anyone with claims to file formal reports with the syndicate, relevant regulatory bodies, the hospital administration, Alexandria University, or the public prosecutor. The following day, the syndicate said its Alexandria branch was closely monitoring developments surrounding the allegations at al-Shatabi Hospital.

Alexandria University released a statement saying it is reviewing and investigating the allegations of misconduct in the affiliated university hospital.

Egyptian human rights groups, including the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, condemned Swaydan’s arrest. Lobna Darwish, head of the group's women’s rights and gender program, said the allegations were not unique to al-Shatabi Hospital.

Darwish told The Associated Press that obstetric violence has long been common at hospitals offering free or low-cost medical services and even across some private medical facilities.

“Unfortunately, the state treats anything that sparks public concern as a security matter,” she said. “The fact that there are many testimonies appearing online from women who have experienced obstetric violence and abuse while giving birth naturally is an indication that we have a real crisis.”

Swaydan's testimony sparked online outrage among Egyptians, including women who came forward with similar abuses they or their family members faced at al-Shatabi Hospital and at public hospitals across the country.

The accounts that followed Swaydan’s post included one woman’s testimony that her sister died after a surgical error during childbirth led to complications that were mishandled by medical staff. Another woman shared a video testimony saying her daughter died following a tracheostomy procedure due to poor hygiene and neglect postsurgery at the hospital.

The Associated Press couldn't immediately verify those claims.