Egypt
12.11.03
Urgent Interventions
Egypte: Death in detention and torture of Sa'd Sayed Mohammed Kotb
Case EGY 101103
Torture/Death in detention
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Egyptian Organisation of Human Rights (EOHR), a member of the OMCT network, of the death in detention of Sa'd Sayed Mohammed Kotb, reportedly as a result of torture, in Egypt.
According to the information received, on November 1st, 2003, Sa'd Sayed Mohammed Kotb, accountant at the Syndicate of Engineers and resident at the district of Imbaba Airport, Giza, was arrested by members of the State Security Investigations in Gaber Ibn Hayaan and detained at its headquarters. He was reportedly detained due to his affiliation with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.
The victim's family were informed of his death on November 5th, 2003, at approximately 2:00 am. However, he died on the morning of November 4th while being transferred to the Omm El Masryin Hospital before he received any medical treatment. The hospital report indicated that there were injuries all over his body. The Public Prosecution confirmed these injuries and reports that they include bruises over the left eyebrow, a blood clot on the lower lip, and bruises on the right wrist and arm. There are also traces of blood clots and bruises on both knees.
It is important to note once again that in its latest report on torture inside police stations, EOHR called for investigations into 22 cases of torture in police stations in 2002, including 5 incidences of death in detention. There was also a very recent report of the death in detention of Mr. Mahmoud Gabr Mohammed (see OMCT Urgent Appeal Case EGY 201003).
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern for the death in detention of Mr. Sa'd Sayed Mohammed Kotb especially as there are serious allegations that he was subjected to torture by members of the police. OMCT calls on the authorities to immediately order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Kotb’s arrest, torture and death, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial, apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law, and award adequate reparation to his family.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Egypt urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the arrest, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the victim’s family for this abuse;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg, Fax:+202 390 1998
· Minister of the Interior, His Excellency General Habib al-Adeli, Ministry of the Interior, Al-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: moi@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 579 2031
· Minister of Justice, His Excellency Mr Faruq Sayf al-Nasr, Ministry of Justice, Midan Lazoghly, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 795 8103
· Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Maher 'Abd al-Wahid, Dar al-Qadha al-'Ali, Ramses Street, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 577 4716
· Ambassadeur Gabr, Naéla, Av. Blanc 49 (2ème), CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 738 44 15
Please also write to the embassies of Egypt in your respective country.
Geneva, November 10th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Torture/Death in detention
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Egyptian Organisation of Human Rights (EOHR), a member of the OMCT network, of the death in detention of Sa'd Sayed Mohammed Kotb, reportedly as a result of torture, in Egypt.
According to the information received, on November 1st, 2003, Sa'd Sayed Mohammed Kotb, accountant at the Syndicate of Engineers and resident at the district of Imbaba Airport, Giza, was arrested by members of the State Security Investigations in Gaber Ibn Hayaan and detained at its headquarters. He was reportedly detained due to his affiliation with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.
The victim's family were informed of his death on November 5th, 2003, at approximately 2:00 am. However, he died on the morning of November 4th while being transferred to the Omm El Masryin Hospital before he received any medical treatment. The hospital report indicated that there were injuries all over his body. The Public Prosecution confirmed these injuries and reports that they include bruises over the left eyebrow, a blood clot on the lower lip, and bruises on the right wrist and arm. There are also traces of blood clots and bruises on both knees.
It is important to note once again that in its latest report on torture inside police stations, EOHR called for investigations into 22 cases of torture in police stations in 2002, including 5 incidences of death in detention. There was also a very recent report of the death in detention of Mr. Mahmoud Gabr Mohammed (see OMCT Urgent Appeal Case EGY 201003).
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern for the death in detention of Mr. Sa'd Sayed Mohammed Kotb especially as there are serious allegations that he was subjected to torture by members of the police. OMCT calls on the authorities to immediately order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Kotb’s arrest, torture and death, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial, apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law, and award adequate reparation to his family.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Egypt urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the arrest, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the victim’s family for this abuse;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg, Fax:+202 390 1998
· Minister of the Interior, His Excellency General Habib al-Adeli, Ministry of the Interior, Al-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: moi@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 579 2031
· Minister of Justice, His Excellency Mr Faruq Sayf al-Nasr, Ministry of Justice, Midan Lazoghly, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 795 8103
· Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Maher 'Abd al-Wahid, Dar al-Qadha al-'Ali, Ramses Street, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 577 4716
· Ambassadeur Gabr, Naéla, Av. Blanc 49 (2ème), CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 738 44 15
Please also write to the embassies of Egypt in your respective country.
Geneva, November 10th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.