مركز النديم لتأهيل ضحايا العنف والتعذيب

 

El Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of victims of Violence received the following information regarding the disappearance of the defendants in the so called Hezbollah case from Tora prison.

Upon their visit to the prison on the 18^th of July 2010the families of the prisoners were told by the prison administration that their relatives were not in the prison. Inquiring about their whereabouts they were told that "they are not here and we do not know where they are", which constitutes a case of forced disappearance in violation of all international human rights previsions and laws.  

El Nadim Center expresses its concern regarding the disappearance of the sentenced prisoners especially that earlier reports indicated that they have been held incommunicado throughout the duration of the interrogation, which usually indicates their incarceration in state security investigations headquarters where torture is almost always likely to take place. Upon their first contact with the media, during the first court session, the defendants stated that they have been subjected to severe torture and maltreatment.

The disappearance of the prisoners and the alleged lack of information by prison administration regarding their whereabouts raises serious concerns that they are again being held in the custody of state security investigation, which involves a major threat to their safety and lives.

The center demands that security authorities in Egyptreveal the whereabouts of the prisoners and the reason for their displacement and holds the minister of interior personally responsible for their safety and lives.

Background:

Yesterday, at 9 pm police forces arrested lawyer Mohamed Ramadan representing Tosson inhabitants in Alexandria as well as three citizens: Abdallah Mohamed Abdallah, Magda Abdallah Ahmed and Aya Mohamed Abdallah. They were interrogated around midnight and charged of illegal gathering, inciting demonstrations and chanting slogans condemning the political regime. The prosecution ordered their detention, for further interrogations the following day upon receipt of intelligence information from the police. While lawyers were waiting in the court room to represent Mohamed Ramadan and the other three, an argument broke out between them and the police upon which the lawyer (member of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center network of lawyers) was held for 20 minutes before his release. The prosecution did not confront the accused with the police intelligence, accused Mohamed Ramadan of joining an illegal group "Kefaya" and ordered his detention for 15 days and the release of the three citizens.

In Kafr El Sheikh the public attorney withdrew his decision to look into the appeal of Omneyya and Sarah's detention today and postponed it until tomorrow. Members of the Sixth of April Youth group who were arrested this morning from the court house are being charged at the police station and are expected to appear in front of the prosecution tomorrow.

The prosecution also decided to postpone listening to the statements by the lawyers of HMLC and AFTE concerning the complaint filed by them until tomorrow.

The undersigned organizations condemn all oppressive and aggressive measures by the Alexandria and Kafr el Sheikh police and demands the immediate release of the detainees.

 

• Police harassment of HMLC and AFTE lawyers

• Omneyya and Sarah's detention extended for 15 days

• 6th of April Youth spend last night in front of public attorney's office

• HMLC calls for a meeting to coordinate efforts regarding police violations on the 6thof April.

 

On the 1st of April police authorities in Kafr El Sheikh arrested Omneyya Taha Ahmed, student in faculty of engineering and Sarah Mohamed Ibrahim, student in workers university, claiming they have been distribution posters carrying the slogans "Long Live Egypt" and "6th of April.. the day of anger).

The prosecution interrogated the two students on the following day (2nd April) and accused them of threatening stable and established constitutional and social norms, disruption of social harmony and peace, inciting public employees to strike. It ordered an extension of their detention until the following day, when the prosecution received police intelligence information claiming that both were provocative elements who incite hatred of the regime and seek to overthrow the regime.

Both Sarah and Omneyya denied the allegations. HMLC network lawyer, Isamil Abou El Yazid contested charges and presented evidence to the contradictions between circumstances of arrest and intelligence information. The prosecution ordered a four day extension of their detention, upon which 30 of the 6th April youth group began a sit in in front of the office of the public attorney in Kafr el sheikh demanding the release of Sarah and Omneyya.

Torture.. A Crime against Humanity

• Saturday 18 October: Complaint to the Public prosecutor

• Sunday 19 October: Press Conference

 

The undersigned organizations will submit a complaint to the public prosecutor on Saturday the 18th of October at 12 o'clock against the Minister of Interior concerning the increasing torture incidents, especially in Alexandria and Samalout. A protest rally in front of the Court of cassation will be organized at the same time.

 

On Sunday the 19th of October the organizations will organize a press conference at the Hisham Mubarak Law Center (1 Suk El Tawfikeyya street) at 12 o'clock to announce their joint position concerning torture in Egypt and the actions they will undertake to face those police crimes. The conference will also include testimonies of some torture victims and their families and will launch a new publication: Torture: A crime against humanity, by researcher Atef Shahat. A CD with testimonies and pictures will be distributed during the conference.

Signatories (in alphabetical order)

 

Police aggress Dr. Magda Adly (resulting in cut wound and possible dislocation of shoulder), attempt to steal her handbag and destroy Dr. Mona Hamed's car  

Aggressor confesses that he acted upon orders of chief intelligence officer Ahmed Maklad

El Nadim center had released a statement this morning calling for an investigation in the torture of the family of Sobhi Mohamed Hussein, 67 years old by Kafr El Dawwar police. The two doctors traveled to Kafr El Dawwar this morning to attend the court session appealing the imprisonment of Sobhi Hussein and his two sons.   

El Nadim center will not be intimidated by the terrorism of the Egyptian Ministry of Interior. We shall continue our struggle against torture in Egypt.. We shall continue to persecute the torturers.. We shall undertake the usual legal measures regarding this morning's crime against our staff and we retain our right to an appropriate  response to the thuggery of the Ministry of Interior and the regime it protects..

We shall use all possible means to expose the criminal nature of their policies and their violation of people's dignity and rights.

In the face of the spreading phenomenon of systematic torture in Egypt. The  Nadim Centre in collaboration with the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) organized a training course for doctors and lawyers on the medical documentation of the effects of torture and ways to reparation in the light of domestic and international law. This was done under the criteria of the Istanbul Protocol. The training session was held from 22nd till the 26th November.

This training addressed the definition of the Istanbul Protocol and the value of its application. The sitiuation of torture in Egypt and ways of litigation available in Egypt, it also addressed international standards for the definition of torture and its prohibition and responsibilities of states towards the international conventions prohibiting torture.

In the medical side the international and national standards of ethical and legal responsibility of medical professionals towards detainee's right to physical and mental health were discussed. Toghether with training on how to write a detailed medical report on the physical injuries and the psychological effects of torture in accordance with the guidelines of the Istanbul Protocol.

The participants highlighted the disparity between the effective documenation methods needed to protect the right of victims of torture and what happens in real life. Both in the medical or legal aspect.  Furthermore, participants recommended that the experience shared during the workshop to be dessiminated for both health professionals and lawyers, along with training courses to accommodate larger numbers participants from those fields.