- EGYPT
- July 23, 2017
- 3 minutes read
Seven Egyptians Subjected to Enforced Disappearance; Face Unknown Fate in Khanka Town
On Saturday, Egypt’s coup security forces continued their brutal raids and arbitrary arrests in Khanka town (Qaliubiya Governorate) for the 13th day running. They rounded up and ‘disappeared’ a number of citizens without presenting them to the prosecution or giving their families any information about their fate or whereabouts, putting these citizens’ lives at risk of torture and murder.
During the raids, the junta’s security forces broke into the homes of opponents of military rule in Khanka town, destroyed contents of those homes under the pretext of searching for wanted persons. They also arbitrarily arrested 7 people without a warrant and subjected them to enforced disappearance (apparently at the national security headquarters) where they suffer torture and violations.
The families of the ‘disappeared’ in Khanka town said that, over the past 13 days (until Saturday), security forces had abducted the following residents:
1. Sami Mohamed Qandil, 37, married, with children – has been forcibly disappeared since July 14.
2. Sherif Musleh Farhan, 37, married, with children, forcibly disappeared since July 19.
3. Ahmed Awad Kuwalini, 30, forcibly disappeared since July 17.
4. Mohamed Shehata Mahmoud, 35, married, with children – forcibly disappeared since July 17.
5. Ibrahim Hassan Zurayq.
6. Rajab Ayadah Haggag, 44, married, with children – arrested and detained on Saturday (July 22).
7. Ahmed Abdul-Mohsen Mugharbel, 30 years old.
The disappeared’s families expressed fear for the fate their loved ones because they are held under enforced disappearance, with authorities refusing to bring them before the competent prosecution authority, to declare the charges laid against each of them or to allow lawyers access to see and defend them. The families further called on Egyptian human rights organizations to shoulder their responsibility and demand an end to detention and enforced disappearance at notorious national security headquarters.