COVID-19 and military justice (Egypt)

Citing Al-Manassa, the Mada Morning Digest reports that Egyptian physicians have been threatened with military trials if they do not comply with government rules surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Excerpt:

Al-Manassa described the situation for doctors at the Delengat Hospital, Beheira, where the hospital director and a Health Ministry deputy sent threatening messages to doctors, saying that disobedience would be met with severe consequences and potentially military prosecution. The doctors were told to treat COVID-19 cases regardless of their speciality, and to evacuate patients from governorate hospitals in preparation to receive COVID-19 patients.

Al-Manassa publishes extracts from voice notes sent by local deputy to the Health Ministry Yosri Bayoumy, who told all doctors without exception to work with coronavirus cases “even if they were dead tired,” adding that “those who ran away […] will come back whether they like it or not.”

In a very literal interpretation of the “white soldier” analogy used to describe doctors in the media, Bayoumy called on all doctors to join the battle against COVID-19 even if it cost them their lives, and that “anyone who escapes from battle is a treacherous soldier, and will suffer the most severe of penalties.”

Hospital Director Reda Bakr reiterated the threats, mentioning that repercussions could lead to a military trial, since “we are in a state of emergency, and even those on sick leave will have to return, one way or another, don’t ask me how.” He later told Al-Manassa that he didn’t mean the comments as a threat, and was seeking only to “motivate” his colleagues.

Oh.