AMNESTY CONDEMNS ESCALATING VIOLATIONS IN EGYPT’S PRISONS

Cairo, 15 Jumadil awwal 1435/6 March 2015 (MINA) – Amnesty International condemned repeated cases of death as a result of torture in Egyptian detention centres which resulted in the killing of three detainees in the past week in El-Matareya police station, Cairo.

The organisation said in a statement that at least nine detainees have died in El-Matareya police station over the past 11 months, no investigations were held into the deaths and those responsible were not held accountable, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Friday.

Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, Hassiba Hadjsahraoui said the Egyptian authorities cannot continue covering up rampant human rights abuses in police stations, especially since several incidents of torture and even death are documented in forensic reports.

Last week, two officers from the National Security Forces were suspended for four days pending an investigation after they were accused of torturing a lawyer to death at El-Matareya police station.

Egyptian and international human rights organisations said that since the coup in 2013, Egyptian authorities have arrested tens of thousands of opponents; nearly 20,000 are still in prison.

Data compiled by Egyptian human rights organisations revealed that since the beginning of last year, 121 people died as a result of torture and harsh conditions in Egyptian jails. (T/P002/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)