Egypt
08.04.03
Urgent Interventions
Egypt: arbitrary arrests, detention and risk of torture faced by anti-war protestors
Case EGY 270303.1
Follow-up of Case EGY 270303
Arbitrary arrests and detention / Torture / Risk of torture / Fair trial
Geneva, April 8th, 2003
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrests, detention and risk of torture faced by anti-war protestors in Cairo, Egypt.
According to the information received, on April 4th, 2003, anti-war activists were arrested as they were taking part in a peaceful demonstration. It is reported that leaders and activists from the El Wafd, El Tegemoah and El Nasiree political parties went to El Sayida Square in Cairo to express their objections to the United States-led war in Iraq.
According to the information received, Egyptian security forces blocked all of the entrances to El Sayida Square in order to keep the demonstrators from entering the site to protest. According to reports, forty-five members of various political parties were arrested. Thirty-four of the demonstrates were reportedly released, while the other eleven were taken to central security headquarters in El Darassa, in order to be presented before the state prosecutors in El Khalifa. The following demonstrators were detained:
Tarek Ahmed Kamel, Bachelor of Law; Dr. Ashraf Bayoumi, worker in chemical industry; Ibrahim El Said Saleh, Accountant; Dr. Abdel Muhsin Hamouda, Doctor and Engineer; Ashraf Abou Galeel, Arabic teacher in El Maadi Secondary School; Tamer Ezat Deyab, Journalist for El Geil Newspaper; Hamdi Mahmoud Hussein, worker in El Mahal El Kobra; Sameh Mohmoud Ismael; Atef Magewry, Treasurer in El Tegemoah Party; Mohammed Abd El Salaam El Kattarry, employee in Meteorology Directorate; Mohsen Hashem, Agricultural Engineer, treasurer of the farmers in labor party.
According to the information received, the afore-mentioned men were charged with: disseminating propaganda aimed at disrupting security and order; having publications meant to incite disruption of public order; participating in assemblies exceeding five persons and damaging public monies and properties. The prosecution reportedly decided to detain the afore-mentioned men for a period of fifteen days pending investigation.
Separately, regarding the previous arrests of demonstrators that began starting on March 21th, 2003, one such detainee, Dr. Gamal Abd El Fatah was presented before the prosecutors on April 5th, 2003, due to allegations that he had been subjected to torture. The prosecutors reportedly examined him and determined that he had sustained injuries. It is reported that Dr. Fatah sustained severe bruises, blood clots on his lower spine, upper right thigh and lower left thigh, as well as internal bleeding along his calf muscles. Dr. Fatah was reportedly referred to forensic doctors who were to examine his injuries.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by another case of mass arrests of anti-war demonstrators in Egypt, and the risk that they may be subjected to torture during their detention, as this has reportedly been the case for detainees that were arrested during previous anti-war demonstrations. OMCT therefore calls upon the Egyptian authorities to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all persons arrested in connection with the anti-war demonstrations, and to immediately order their release. OMCT also calls for an impartial investigation into the allegations of the use of torture, in order to bring the perpetrators to justice and award adequate reparation to all persons who were injured during these events.
Background information
According to the information received, demonstrations broke out in Cairo as the war in Iraq began on March 20th, 2003. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo and were met with violent repression by the police. It is reported that the police use disproportionate force in order to keep the demonstrators back from the American and British embassies, causing injuries to many demonstrators. The police also reportedly arrested large numbers of people during protests held over subsequent days. According to the information received, protests broke out in Al-Azhar Mosque, Talaat Harb Square, Ramses Street, and the State Broadcasting Corporation on March 21st, 2003.
According to the information received, on March 21st, the police began to beat demonstrators who were pushing against a barrier on Talaat Harb Street. Police reportedly fired water cannons into the crowd, beat demonstrators with clubs and made many arrests. According to the information received, the police also occupied the Egyptian Bar Association for almost six hours, and arrested more than 15 lawyers, some of whom were beaten during this time. Many of these lawyers had reportedly previously defended anti-war demonstrators.
The detainees have reportedly been charged with "participating in an illegal assembly of more than five people," under the Egyptian Illegal Assembly Law. Other charges include the destruction of public property; blocking traffic; transmitting propaganda that could disturb public safety and harm public interests; and assaulting law enforcement personnel. According to the information received, demonstrators have alleged that much of the destruction of property during the rallies, including the torching of a fire truck near Tahrir Square, was the work of police.
According to information received, there has been a large incidence of torture within the detention centers where the demonstrators have been held. Reports include the use of electric shocks, beatings that included the use of sticks and clubs, as well as the threat of rape towards the women, giving rise to grave concerns that the detainees in question here are being or risk being subjected to such treatment.
Action Requested
Please write to the Egyptian authorities urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee to physical and psychological integrity of all persons that have been detained as a result of the anti-war demonstrations in Egypt;
ii. order the immediate release of the afore-mentioned detainees in the absence of valid legal charges, or if such charges exist, bring them before a competent and impartial court and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil, and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. provide adequate reparation to all persons that have been injured during these events;
v. put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of anti-war protestors;
vi. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance international human rights laws and standards.
Addresses
· H.E. President Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, Email : Webmaster@presidency.gov.eg
· H.E. Faruq Sayf al-Nasr, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Midan Lazoghly, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 795 8103, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg
· H.E. General Habib Ibrahim El Adly, Minister of the Interior, Al – Sheik Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: + 202 579 2031, e-mail: moi@idsc.gov
Please also write to the embassies of Egypt in your respective country.
Geneva, April 8th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up of Case EGY 270303
Arbitrary arrests and detention / Torture / Risk of torture / Fair trial
Geneva, April 8th, 2003
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrests, detention and risk of torture faced by anti-war protestors in Cairo, Egypt.
According to the information received, on April 4th, 2003, anti-war activists were arrested as they were taking part in a peaceful demonstration. It is reported that leaders and activists from the El Wafd, El Tegemoah and El Nasiree political parties went to El Sayida Square in Cairo to express their objections to the United States-led war in Iraq.
According to the information received, Egyptian security forces blocked all of the entrances to El Sayida Square in order to keep the demonstrators from entering the site to protest. According to reports, forty-five members of various political parties were arrested. Thirty-four of the demonstrates were reportedly released, while the other eleven were taken to central security headquarters in El Darassa, in order to be presented before the state prosecutors in El Khalifa. The following demonstrators were detained:
Tarek Ahmed Kamel, Bachelor of Law; Dr. Ashraf Bayoumi, worker in chemical industry; Ibrahim El Said Saleh, Accountant; Dr. Abdel Muhsin Hamouda, Doctor and Engineer; Ashraf Abou Galeel, Arabic teacher in El Maadi Secondary School; Tamer Ezat Deyab, Journalist for El Geil Newspaper; Hamdi Mahmoud Hussein, worker in El Mahal El Kobra; Sameh Mohmoud Ismael; Atef Magewry, Treasurer in El Tegemoah Party; Mohammed Abd El Salaam El Kattarry, employee in Meteorology Directorate; Mohsen Hashem, Agricultural Engineer, treasurer of the farmers in labor party.
According to the information received, the afore-mentioned men were charged with: disseminating propaganda aimed at disrupting security and order; having publications meant to incite disruption of public order; participating in assemblies exceeding five persons and damaging public monies and properties. The prosecution reportedly decided to detain the afore-mentioned men for a period of fifteen days pending investigation.
Separately, regarding the previous arrests of demonstrators that began starting on March 21th, 2003, one such detainee, Dr. Gamal Abd El Fatah was presented before the prosecutors on April 5th, 2003, due to allegations that he had been subjected to torture. The prosecutors reportedly examined him and determined that he had sustained injuries. It is reported that Dr. Fatah sustained severe bruises, blood clots on his lower spine, upper right thigh and lower left thigh, as well as internal bleeding along his calf muscles. Dr. Fatah was reportedly referred to forensic doctors who were to examine his injuries.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by another case of mass arrests of anti-war demonstrators in Egypt, and the risk that they may be subjected to torture during their detention, as this has reportedly been the case for detainees that were arrested during previous anti-war demonstrations. OMCT therefore calls upon the Egyptian authorities to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all persons arrested in connection with the anti-war demonstrations, and to immediately order their release. OMCT also calls for an impartial investigation into the allegations of the use of torture, in order to bring the perpetrators to justice and award adequate reparation to all persons who were injured during these events.
Background information
According to the information received, demonstrations broke out in Cairo as the war in Iraq began on March 20th, 2003. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo and were met with violent repression by the police. It is reported that the police use disproportionate force in order to keep the demonstrators back from the American and British embassies, causing injuries to many demonstrators. The police also reportedly arrested large numbers of people during protests held over subsequent days. According to the information received, protests broke out in Al-Azhar Mosque, Talaat Harb Square, Ramses Street, and the State Broadcasting Corporation on March 21st, 2003.
According to the information received, on March 21st, the police began to beat demonstrators who were pushing against a barrier on Talaat Harb Street. Police reportedly fired water cannons into the crowd, beat demonstrators with clubs and made many arrests. According to the information received, the police also occupied the Egyptian Bar Association for almost six hours, and arrested more than 15 lawyers, some of whom were beaten during this time. Many of these lawyers had reportedly previously defended anti-war demonstrators.
The detainees have reportedly been charged with "participating in an illegal assembly of more than five people," under the Egyptian Illegal Assembly Law. Other charges include the destruction of public property; blocking traffic; transmitting propaganda that could disturb public safety and harm public interests; and assaulting law enforcement personnel. According to the information received, demonstrators have alleged that much of the destruction of property during the rallies, including the torching of a fire truck near Tahrir Square, was the work of police.
According to information received, there has been a large incidence of torture within the detention centers where the demonstrators have been held. Reports include the use of electric shocks, beatings that included the use of sticks and clubs, as well as the threat of rape towards the women, giving rise to grave concerns that the detainees in question here are being or risk being subjected to such treatment.
Action Requested
Please write to the Egyptian authorities urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee to physical and psychological integrity of all persons that have been detained as a result of the anti-war demonstrations in Egypt;
ii. order the immediate release of the afore-mentioned detainees in the absence of valid legal charges, or if such charges exist, bring them before a competent and impartial court and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil, and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. provide adequate reparation to all persons that have been injured during these events;
v. put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of anti-war protestors;
vi. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance international human rights laws and standards.
Addresses
· H.E. President Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, Email : Webmaster@presidency.gov.eg
· H.E. Faruq Sayf al-Nasr, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Midan Lazoghly, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 795 8103, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg
· H.E. General Habib Ibrahim El Adly, Minister of the Interior, Al – Sheik Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: + 202 579 2031, e-mail: moi@idsc.gov
Please also write to the embassies of Egypt in your respective country.
Geneva, April 8th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.