Conditions of Protesters Rounded Up In Alexandria and Cairo

The Anti-Coup, Pro-Democracy National Alliance's Human Rights Committee Statement On the Detention Conditions of Protesters Rounded Up In Alexandria and Cairo In Recent Weeks

Monday 05 August 2013, Cairo

The Anti-Coup, Pro-Democracy National Alliance's human rights committee strenuously denounces the torture and ill-treatment of 190 detained protesters at Al-Gharbinieyat Prison in Alexandria and 179 detained protesters at the Appeals Prison in Cairo at the hands of police as well as criminals and thugs in same cells, despite the fact that political detainees should be held separately from criminal detainees.  

Detainees at both Cairo and Alexandria prisons reported that officers incited criminal detainees and thugs to attack them in their cells, which led to serious injuries.

Setting a precedent in Egypt's history, prison authorities used tear gas heavily against pro-legitimacy detainees in the Appeals Prison while in their cells, causing them excruciatingly painful suffocation and loss of consciousness.

Moreover, prison authorities refused to provide injured detainees with necessary medical treatment or allow them to be examined by doctors in order to issue medical reports proving their torture.

Detainees in both prisons have also been deprived of receiving any family visits, despite being held in prison for long periods.  

In reaction to this inhumane treatment, 179 detainees went on an open hunger strike since August 1, 2013.

A group of lawyers in Cairo submitted a complaint, on Saturday August 3, 2013 to the Public Prosecutor in Cairo requesting urgent investigations be carried out into their torture and  ill-treatment as well as the use of tear gas against detainees in prison cells.  

Alexandria Doctors' Syndicate also submitted complaint No. 261 of 2013 to the Public Prosecutor requesting immediate investigations into the torture of protesters held on remand in case No. 1599 of 2013, Al-Mansheyah. They demanded that detainees be examined by a delegation of doctors to provide them with medical care and treatment.

The human rights committee is deeply concerned about the serious health deterioration of those detainees; and urges the Egyptian authorities to immediately release them and provide them with adequate reparation due to the injustice, torture and ill-treatment they suffered at Al-Gharbineyat Prison at the hands of police and thugs.

The committee also warns against the escalating violence and complete violation of detainees' right to life, right to freedom of movement, right to physical integrity and right to freedom of expression, which continue to be used by state authorities against peaceful pro-legitimacy protesters, and which will have serious implications on society at large.

The committee further calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all activists and political detainees.

Furthermore, the committee yet again reminds the Egyptian authorities of their international obligations according to the international treaties and covenants Egypt ratified, especially the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

ENDS

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