The Transfer of Executed Prisoners' Organs Caused a Stir in Egypt.. The Doctors' Syndicate Clarifies

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The proposal to benefit from the organs of death row inmates to save patients in need of organ transplants has caused a stir in Egypt, at a time when medical and religious opinions have emphasized that organ donation is inseparable from the will of the body owner and their explicit consent.

Professor of Critical Care Medicine at Qasr Al-Aini Medical School, Hossam Mowafi, posed a question to the Attorney General and the Sheikh of Al-Azhar regarding the possibility of benefiting from the organs of a death row inmate before or after the execution of the sentence, pointing out that organs such as the kidneys, heart, corneas, and parts of the liver could contribute to saving the lives of patients in need of transplantation.

In contrast, the Egyptian Medical Syndicate expressed its "strong objection" to this proposal, as Syndicate Council member Ahmed Bahles stated that "the execution of the death penalty relates to taking life as a punishment, and does not automatically mean the loss of the person's rights over their body or granting others the right to dispose of their organs."

Bahles also emphasized in statements to "Al Arabiya.net/Al Hadath.net" today, Tuesday, that "if the death row inmate has not donated their organs of their own free will before facing the situation, it is not right to take their organs, as organ donation is fundamentally based on free will and informed consent, and donation cannot be imposed on a person at a moment when they are under pressure or in an exceptional situation."

In this regard, he considered that raising inaccurate ideas or information about organ transplantation could lead to counterproductive results, given what he described as a delay in the organ transplantation file compared to several countries, explaining that the recurring controversy over the issue could increase the community's reservations towards it instead of supporting organ donation and transplantation.

He added that "the community needs accurate medical information regarding organ donation and transplantation processes, especially since organ transfer is subject to precise procedures and examinations, and cannot be reduced to the idea of obtaining an organ suddenly after someone's death," pointing out that "the primary goal should be to develop the organ transplantation system to serve patients in need, rather than presenting ideas that could lead to a negative societal reaction towards donation processes."

Additionally, an official from the Egyptian Ministry of Health, in statements to "Al-Arabiya.net/Al-Hadath.net," pointed out that "the constitution and the regulations governing organ transplantation require informed consent for donation, without any pressure." He confirmed that "this proposal has not been officially discussed, as it does not meet the conditions and is not applicable."

In this context, former Minister of Awqaf and member of the Islamic Research Academy, Mohamed Mukhtar Gomaa, rejected the idea of taking organs from a person sentenced to death, emphasizing that "the human body retains its sanctity even after death." He stated that "the person sentenced to death has already received the prescribed legal and religious punishment."

He also clarified via his Facebook account that "it is not permissible according to Sharia to take any organ from a person, whether alive or dead, without their own voluntary consent, and that this must be legally documented to prevent any suspicion of violation of their rights," stressing that "the consent of the heirs does not grant them the right to donate the deceased's organs if they have not issued their own consent."

The current debate brings the issue of organ transplantation in Egypt back to the forefront, not only from the perspective of increasing opportunities to save patients in need of transplants but also in terms of the regulations that ensure the protection of the donor, the dignity of the human being, and the prevention of exploiting circumstances of death or punishment to obtain organs.

In February 2026, the issue resurfaced after a proposal was made to establish a "National Tissue Bank" and to expand skin donation after death to treat burn victims, which sparked a discussion about the limits of medical benefit from the tissues of the deceased and how to ensure they are not misused.

Organ transplantation and transfer operations in Egypt are governed by Law No. 5 of 2010, which established regulations for the donation and transfer of organs from living and deceased individuals, while subsequent amendments have tightened the penalties associated with illegal organ transfer and trafficking.

The law and its executive regulations require that the donation be made out of free will "without coercion or deception," with official procedures in place to document the donation. The law also sets regulations for the transfer of organs from the deceased, including the confirmation of death according to specified medical procedures and the existence of a will or documented consent according to the governing rules.