Death of Egyptian Researcher in France Raises Controversy

Reem Hamed with her brother Nader Hamed. (A photo taken from Nader Hamed's Facebook page)

The death of Egyptian researcher Reem Hamed, who died in France on Thursday, August 22, sparked controversy on social media, particularly after several alleged Facebook posts attributed to the researcher went viral.
The posts, which suggested that she was being followed and threatened, have raised concerns about the circumstances of her death.
On Sunday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is closely monitoring the investigation into the death of Hamed, who died in France on August 22.
The Egyptian Consulate General in Paris immediately contacted French authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding Hamed’s death.
In her posts, mostly dated in June, Hamed details how she was being watched by unknown persons and that her devices were being monitored. They also mention threats regarding her research.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty instructed the Consulate General in Paris to closely monitor the investigation process and to obtain a report from French authorities on the cause of death. He also directed the Consulate to expedite the necessary procedures for obtaining a death certificate and transporting Hamed’s remains to Egypt upon completion of the investigation.
Egypt's Ambassador to France, Alaa Youssef, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Egyptian consulate, after receiving news of Hamed’s death, contacted the French authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding her passing.
Hamed has earned a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Paris-Saclay University and moved to France to work as a resident researcher at the Paris-Saclay University.
She was an Egyptian PhD researcher who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture with a minor in biotechnology from Cairo University in 2017.