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In a tragic incident, an Egyptian lawyer suddenly breathed his last on Tuesday after suffering a sudden health crisis while attending a session at the Qena Criminal Court in southern Egypt, where he was pleading in a case, an incident that sparked widespread grief in legal and judicial circles.

Security authorities in Qena received an operation room notification reporting the death of lawyer Essam Mohamed Ali Abdullah al-Batawi (Essam al-Batawi), while he was at the Qena Criminal Court.

The body of the deceased lawyer was transferred to the hospital morgue amid grief among the lawyers in Qena, as he enjoyed good relations with many colleagues.

Meanwhile, lawyers' pages turned into condolence tents mourning the deceased lawyer, describing him as a martyr of the profession, praying to God to grant him mercy and forgiveness, and to give his family patience and solace.

According to initial information, al-Batawi felt sudden fatigue while inside the court, then fainted, as attempts were made to revive him and transfer him for medical care, but he died shortly after.

While media reports suggested he may have suffered a heart attack, other reports said he had a diabetic coma.

Meanwhile, the competent authorities ordered permission to bury the lawyer's body and moved it to be buried in his hometown in the Wafa'a and Amal cemetery in Nasr City.

The Bar Association said in a statement: 'With hearts believing in God's decree and destiny, and with deep sorrow and grief mixed with pride and honor, the Qena Bar Association - its dean, members, and general assembly - mourns the martyr of duty and free speech, and a symbol of defense, colleague Essam al-Batawi, the lawyer.'

It added that the deceased's pure soul ascended to its Creator while he was stationed in the sanctuary of justice at the Qena Criminal Court, defending the message of truth with honor and integrity.

The official page of the late lawyer Essam al-Batawi announced that the funeral prayer will be held after Maghrib prayer at Hassan al-Sharbatli Mosque in the Fifth Settlement, and the condolence will be tomorrow at the Police Mosque in the Fifth Settlement.

The late lawyer had come from Cairo to Qena Governorate to plead in one of the cases before the Criminal Court before suffering the health crisis inside the court building.

Who is Essam al-Batawi?

Essam al-Batawi is considered one of the most prominent lawyers before the Court of Cassation in Egypt, and he was known for handling the defense in a number of high-profile cases, including: defending former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli in cases related to the January Revolution events, participating in the defense team during what was known in the media as the 'Trial of the Century', defending businessman Hassan Rateb in the major antiquities case, and pleading in a number of prominent criminal cases before criminal and cassation courts.

Similar Incidents

In early May, the Bilqas Partial Court in Dakahlia Governorate witnessed a tragic incident after a lawyer died suddenly while inside the courtroom, while performing his work and conducting the procedures of a case.