"If my son is a criminal, then try him, and if he is not, then release him. This is the fourth month of Ramadan that passes in his absence, and we do not know when he will be released from prison."
This is what Esmat said, the mother of an Egyptian fisherman imprisoned in Egypt.
About three years ago, her son, Muhammad Yassin, was arrested while returning from Libya. Where he worked as the head of one of the fishing boats there, before he was joined by about 40 fishermen from the same village, as the authorities suspect them of involvement in arms smuggling operations in western Libya.
The fishermen's families consider these accusations without evidence. Human rights activists accuse the Egyptian authorities of what they describe as "targeting fishermen in an attempt to tighten control over the Mediterranean," while officials deny these accusations.
The village of Burj Mughizel, to which the fishermen belong, overlooks the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt, as well as the Rosetta Branch, one of the mouths of the Nile River.
Many of the villagers work at sea, whether in fishing or making boats, and sometimes travel to neighboring countries to fish.
Muhammad was supporting his wife, mother and their three children, before his freedom was restricted. Since his arrest, the family's situation has deteriorated.
His mother, Esmat, says, "We want a merciful official who looks at our situation. We are completely destitute, and the women of these fishermen are like widows and their children like orphans. What is the condition of a child when he goes to school without money or breakfast? Children are at the age they need their father."
In Mohamed's absence, his wife, Basma, took on the responsibility of taking care of their children and his elderly mother, as well as providing for his needs in prison. "Our lives have been destroyed, and we are in the prime of our youth. I can no longer play the role of father and mother together," she told the BBC.
The economic crisis that Egypt is going through has exacerbated the family's ordeal. "Our monthly income is 1,500 Egyptian pounds (about $50). I borrowed twice that amount to pay for one visit to him in prison. I visit him twice a month. I sold my jewelry and my share of my inheritance from my father to spend on the family."
Many relatives are no longer able to help Muhammad's family, and as Basma says, "Good people help me, but everyone has difficulty meeting their needs. Due to the hardship of the situation this year, I stopped preparing juice with breakfast during Ramadan."
Even when the family receives financial aid, Muhammad's children are psychologically harmed, as they are not used to receiving donations from anyone, as Basma tells.