Egypt: Mohamed Oda latest victim of Police abductions

 State security forces in Ismailia abducted its latest victim on June 18 and his family has since been searching for him.

The family of victim, 19 year old Mohamed Oda submitted a complaint to the Attorney General on September 5, 2010 where the case is currently under investigation. Rumour has it that Oda is detained at the Nasr City State Security headquarters which is renown for its violation of human rights, freedoms and dignity without being held accountable.

The Egyptian Group for Law and Human Rights expresses its deep concern regarding the increasing number of enforced citizen disappearances by the government who are being subjected to security arbitration in contradiction to the international conventions. The UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance stipulates that such measures is a breach of Egypt ’s international obligations chartered as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in Article 9.1

 “Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law”.

The organization stresses that the recurring illegal detention of citizens illustrates that this method adopted by the government in dealing with citizens, is a clear violation of all international covenants. Family and friends voiced their fears that Oda may be tortured in his detention by security officials. There have been no formal charges leveled against him nor has he faced interrogation.

EGHR holds the government responsible for Oda’s wellbeing and calls on the Attorney General to conduct an urgent investigation on the incident and disappearance of Oda and other cases of abduction, illegal detention and security restrictions which is widely practiced in Egypt under the current system.