- Human RightsTorture
- January 9, 2011
- 3 minutes read
Former MB MP demands immediate investigation into death of tortured victim
In a serious escalation and violation of human rights, the Security Directorate of Alexandria threatened the family of Alexandria’s torture victim Sayed Bilal, who died in State security headquarters during interrogation. Bilal’s brother and brother in law were ordered to abandon their complaint made against the police officers. According to sources they were threatened with arrest if they insisted on accusing the SSI of killing Sayed Bilal.
Lawyer Sobhi Saleh, a former member of the MB parliamentary bloc, described the torture and murder of the victim in addition to the threats to the family as truly a disaster. He stressed the torturing of a victim to death is truly a criminal act and the officer responsible must be severely punished. He denounced security for continuing to cover the officer’s actions by threatening the victims family stressing it was a heinous crime.
Saleh maintained that it is evident the Interior Ministry is clutching at straws by arresting, torturing, killing and threatening innocent people rather than utilising its efforts in arresting the real culprits behind the disastrous church blasts in Alexandria
A number of human rights organizations have voiced condemnation of Bilal’s death, citing the increase of similar torture cases.
Hafez Abu Saeda, head of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), asserted that Bilal’s body was transferred on Sunday to the coroner for an autopsy to determine the cause of death and a report will then be presented to the prosecution.
According to reports, Bilal was interrogated on Tuesday night by Alexandria’s state security and returned home. On Thursday, his family received a call from requesting them to retrieve Bilal’s body, on which signs of torture were apparent. The reports, maintain that Bilal’s family was warned to bury the body late on silently or else it will be buried in "charity cemeteries" and its whereabouts unknown. Bilal’s face, hands and waist were badly bruised.