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EOHR Campaign against Torture
Two Families Tortured in Helwan Police Station
EOHR calls for Trialing those who Practice Torture
October 26 2003
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) expresses its deep concern as regards the ongoing torture of citizens in police stations. EOHR was informed that 15 citizens were tortured inside Helwan and 15th May police stations south of Cairo.
Immediately after receiving information from the lawyers of the defendants, EOHR dispatched a fact-finding mission which met the victims and their lawyers. The victims said that on October 11, 2003, a group of the police force headed by an officer named Mohammed Mahmoud El Sharkawi broke into their house. They were arrested as one of them named Omar Radi Saleh, was accused of committing murder.
They were moved to the police station of Zahraa Helwan and remained detained until Sunday evening, October 12, 2003. Afterwards, they were referred to the headquarters of the unit of Helwan police station where they were battered.
Due to such battery, they sustained several injuries as evident in the Prosecution record No. 10617 of 2003 and record No. 1957 of 2003 of Al Khalifa police station.
The victims informed the delegates of EOHR that the officers in the investigations unit tortured them physically and mentally.
They deposited them to the……… and gave them electric shocks in sensitive parts of their bodies. They were hanged over doors while having their hands fettered. Moreover, they were threatened by sexual assault and harassment for both men and women.
The torture to which the victims were subjected resulted in several injuries; some of which are the following:
- Fractions in the shoulder blades for most of the victims.
- Iman Saad Lotfi had her right thumb broken.
- Bruises along the back due to whipping.
- Injuries and bruises on the wrists as a result of being hanged with steel fetters.
- Bruises in the feet due to the steel fetters.
- Emad Saad Lotfi is suspected of having a break in the backbone.
- Traces of electric shock in the chest.
All such injuries were witnessed by the prosecutor who proved them in record No. 10617 of 2003. He decided that they be referred to the forensic medicine to investigate the injuries, causes and their date.
The victims submitted a report of such incidents to the military prosecution concerned with the police. The military prosecutor decided they be referred to the forensic medicine. The head of the military prosecution issued a decision to arrest the defendant officers under case No. 1957 of 2003.
In this regard, EOHR re-emphasizes its continual appeal to re-consider the penalties of the crime of torture so as to bring such practices to an end. All state agencies, particularly the Ministry of Interior, should take all necessary measures to end the crime of torture. This includes amending the law on criminal procedures ensuring that each defendant has the right to authorize a lawyer during investigations. The Egyptian government should conform to the two declarations referred to in Articles 21, 22 of the International Convention against Torture, end the enforcement of the Emergency Law, activate the international mechanisms for the punishment of the ones who commit torture and activate the role of the Public Prosecution in monitoring prisons and places of detention.
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