Elbaradei Campaign Human Rights Other Opinions Torture
March 12, 2010
4 minutes read

Egypt investigates ElBaradei’s beaten supporter

Egypt’s public prosecutor on Thursday decided to open an investigation into accusations that a state security officer tortured a supporter of former UN nuclear chief Mohammed ElBaradei

According to sources, the public prosecutor’s decision to call in the officer from Egypt’s domestic intelligence agency followed a strong statement of protest from ElBaradei, whose return to Egypt late last month and campaign for political reform has energized the country’s opposition

Taha Abdel-Tawab was detained on Sunday and badly beaten by officers from the Egyptian Interior Ministry’s State Security Investigations service, after trying to organize a rally in support of an ElBaradei presidential bid, his lawyer allege

The officer accused by Abdel-Tawab, a doctor from the Egyptian oasis of al-Fayoum, southwest of Cairo, will face questioning on Saturday March 13

ElBaradei had condemned “the barbaric assault on this innocent citizen,” in a statement from the coalition of opposition groups he formed late last month to campaign for political reforms in Egypt

Abdel-Tawab, who is in hospital in al-Fayoum, had started a hunger strike to call for the officer’s prosecution

Since the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) dominates Egypt’s national and local assemblies, it is unlikely he could secure a nomination without the NDP’s blessing

The coalition of opposition groups that formed around ElBaradei last month called on the government to institute seven reforms that the coalition said would provide for more free elections