Egypt
16.07.02
Urgent Interventions
Egypt: three policemen sentenced following death in detention
Case EGY 050302.1
Follow-up to Case EGY 050302.1
Death in detention / Impunity
Geneva, July 16th, 2002
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding 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, that the three policemen responsible for the death of Ahmed Taha Muhamed Yousef received five-year prison sentences on July 14th, 2002.
According to the information received, the Cairo Misdemeanours Court issued the verdict to three defendants (case no. 1217 of 2002 –El Wayli misdemeanours reference no. 591 of 2002), who are:
· 45-year old Hamdi Motwali Othman, a Police Security Officer at El Wayli police investigations unit;
· 32-year old Hamed Mohamed abd El Kader, a Police Security Officer at El Wayli police investigations unit;
· 26-year old Essam Abd El Aziz Mahmoud, a Police Conscript at El Wayli police investigations unit.
The three policemen have received five years imprisonment with hard labour, and are obliged by law to pay civil compensation. The medical forensic report issued on March 6th, 2002 (No. 143 of 2002) established that torture had been used on Mr. Yousef. The case was then referred to the competent misdemeanours court in the Cairo Court of Appeals, which held its first session on June 11th, 2002 and following several sessions delivered its verdict on July 14th, 2002.
According to the information received, while the misdemeanours court has ruled that the policemen in question have to pay civil compensation, another case will be filed in the civil court to establish the amount that is to be paid to Mr. Yousef’s family as reparation for his death in detention.
Remarks
The International Secretariat of OMCT wishes to thank all those institutions, organisations and individuals who intervened on the behalf of Mr. Ahmed Taha Muhamed Yousef and his family.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, 42-year old Ahmed Taha Mohamed Yousef, was arbitrarily arrested in El Wayli district, Cairo, Egypt on February 23rd 2002 where he was severely beaten, resulting in death from his injuries. The police were allegedly looking for his brother at his residence in the Albaseya district. Since they could not find him they arrested Ahmed Taha Mohamed instead, and one officer beat him in the street while he was handcuffed to another officer named Tarek, before being taken to the El Wayli station. Reports indicate that Ahmed Taha Mohamed Yousef was later severely beaten on the chest, the back of his head and below his neck and chin by one of the security officers during his detention in the police station, which resulted in his immediate death.
Geneva, July 16th, 2002
Follow-up to Case EGY 050302.1
Death in detention / Impunity
Geneva, July 16th, 2002
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding 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, that the three policemen responsible for the death of Ahmed Taha Muhamed Yousef received five-year prison sentences on July 14th, 2002.
According to the information received, the Cairo Misdemeanours Court issued the verdict to three defendants (case no. 1217 of 2002 –El Wayli misdemeanours reference no. 591 of 2002), who are:
· 45-year old Hamdi Motwali Othman, a Police Security Officer at El Wayli police investigations unit;
· 32-year old Hamed Mohamed abd El Kader, a Police Security Officer at El Wayli police investigations unit;
· 26-year old Essam Abd El Aziz Mahmoud, a Police Conscript at El Wayli police investigations unit.
The three policemen have received five years imprisonment with hard labour, and are obliged by law to pay civil compensation. The medical forensic report issued on March 6th, 2002 (No. 143 of 2002) established that torture had been used on Mr. Yousef. The case was then referred to the competent misdemeanours court in the Cairo Court of Appeals, which held its first session on June 11th, 2002 and following several sessions delivered its verdict on July 14th, 2002.
According to the information received, while the misdemeanours court has ruled that the policemen in question have to pay civil compensation, another case will be filed in the civil court to establish the amount that is to be paid to Mr. Yousef’s family as reparation for his death in detention.
Remarks
The International Secretariat of OMCT wishes to thank all those institutions, organisations and individuals who intervened on the behalf of Mr. Ahmed Taha Muhamed Yousef and his family.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, 42-year old Ahmed Taha Mohamed Yousef, was arbitrarily arrested in El Wayli district, Cairo, Egypt on February 23rd 2002 where he was severely beaten, resulting in death from his injuries. The police were allegedly looking for his brother at his residence in the Albaseya district. Since they could not find him they arrested Ahmed Taha Mohamed instead, and one officer beat him in the street while he was handcuffed to another officer named Tarek, before being taken to the El Wayli station. Reports indicate that Ahmed Taha Mohamed Yousef was later severely beaten on the chest, the back of his head and below his neck and chin by one of the security officers during his detention in the police station, which resulted in his immediate death.
Geneva, July 16th, 2002