The treatment of a family from Helwan is just one example of the countless cases of torture and ill-treatment rife in Egypt. 'Amr Muhammad 'Adel, aged 17, told Amnesty International that he and his brother Walid Muhammad 'Adel were tortured on 25 May 2001 soon after they were brought to Helwan Police Station.
"The police officers took us to a room which is called al-Tallaga (the fridge) where they torture people. There they tied us with our hands to the window. Then they beat my brother and me on the back with a whip."
Their uncle 'Atif Mahmud 'Agami was brought in later, in a terrible physical state. After his release, he reported that he was subjected to various forms of torture, including being suspended from a window. His 24-year-old wife, Lamya Muhammad 'Abbas, and other female relatives were submitted to insults and beatings on the head. Not one member of the family was accused of any criminal offence.
Amnesty International continues to receive numerous reports of torture from people accused of being affiliated to political organizations, including both non-violent organizations and armed groups. The vast majority of political detainees who have been tortured report that this occurred while they were held in incommunicado detention at premises of the State Security Intelligence (SSI).
"The police officers took us to a room which is called al-Tallaga (the fridge) where they torture people. There they tied us with our hands to the window. Then they beat my brother and me on the back with a whip."
Their uncle 'Atif Mahmud 'Agami was brought in later, in a terrible physical state. After his release, he reported that he was subjected to various forms of torture, including being suspended from a window. His 24-year-old wife, Lamya Muhammad 'Abbas, and other female relatives were submitted to insults and beatings on the head. Not one member of the family was accused of any criminal offence.
Amnesty International continues to receive numerous reports of torture from people accused of being affiliated to political organizations, including both non-violent organizations and armed groups. The vast majority of political detainees who have been tortured report that this occurred while they were held in incommunicado detention at premises of the State Security Intelligence (SSI).