Police Detains Six People and Defies Orders of Their Release

The Egyptian Association for Combating Torture condemned the chief of the Investigation Department of Helwan City who detained and tortured a number of citizens, ordered to be freed by the prosecution. The association called on the prosecution to carry out the on-bail release.
 
In addition, it urged all human rights organizations, parties, and democracy advocates, to send telegraphs and letters to the Attorney General to set detainees free and to conduct investigations over torture cases.
 
The story says that eleven persons were on a minivan with their families on their way to Helwan. A plain-cloth man, found to be Muhammad el-Sharqay, the Chief of the Investigation Department of Helwan City, stopped the vehicle. When the driver asked about his identity, the police officer considered it impropriety and resolved to arrest the men passengers.
 
’In the police station, the 11 men were subject to severe torture. After 36 hours, they were referred to the prosecution on trumped-up charges of thuggery,’ the association added.
 
On Jun 27th, the prosecution released them on 100-pound bail. A week later, the officer set only six persons free and retained the other five without any legal ground.  
 
Furthermore, torture extended to the detainees’ relatives. The brother of Ibrahem Shafeeq, one of prisoners, was beaten when he went to the police station to ask about his brother. Another relative was hospitalized after he was hit into stomach. He filed a complaint against the officer in the Interior Ministry which was referred to Cairo Investigation Department to conduct a probe.
 
On Feb 5th, Shafeeq’s brother made a complaint to the Chairman of Helwan Prosecution who issued a warrant of immediate release for remaining detainees. Nevertheless, the officer ignored the orders.