263 Torture Cases in Egyptian Police Stations in 6 Yrs: Rights Organization

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights said that 263 torture cases have been spotted in Egyptian police stations during the period from 2000 to 2006, including 79 deaths that, the organization is nearly ascertained, were due to torture and maltreatment in addition to 10 death cases from late 2006 to early February 2007.
 
The organization condemned, in its report, the spread of torture crimes inside police stations and State Security Police headquarters, to the extent that hi-tech methods are used in increasing the suffering of torture victims. It cited the example of citizen Ehab Magdi Farouk who was tortured by a policemen in Imababa police stations and this appeared in a footage that was posted on websites and the details were published in Al-Masri Al-Yom.
 
The report confirmed that figures reveal that those committing torture crimes aren’t brought to justice, and aren’t punished for these deeds, to the extent that torture has become a phenomenon  in Egypt.
 
The report blamed the state of emergency, applied in Egypt since 1981, for increasing the phenomenon of torture; also blamed is lacking a legislation that may deter perpetrators of torture crimes and not allowing victims to file a lawsuit due to this hideous crime
The report pointed out that using old laws in addition to adding new emergency ones to the legislative structure, led to abusing legitimacy; the report mentioned that some policemen are committing serious violations against citizens; however, the current legislations can’t curb these violations and may legalize them.

Khaled Hamzah is an Egyptian thinker, lecturer and prominent political writer.  

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