Egypt: Indefinite detention and systematic torture: the forgotten victims

Egypt: Indefinite detention and systematic torture: the forgotten victims

Comments:
Gross human rights violations continue to be carried out in the name of 'fighting terrorism' in Egypt. Thousands of sympathizers, members and suspected members of unauthorized Islamist groups have been administratively detained without charge or trial, some for as long as six years, under Article 3 of the Emergency Law, which has been in force without interruption since 1981. Torture continues to be used systematically on political detainees in clear violation of international and national law. Since 1992 the use of the death penalty has increased dramatically: during the first four months of 1996 alone at least 25 people were sentenced to death and four, sentenced in previous years, were executed. Armed opposition groups have been responsible for grave human rights abuses. Dozens of civilians, including members of the Coptic Christian community and tourists, have been deliberately killed. In May 1996 the United Nations Committee against Torture issued a report summarizing the processes of a confidential inquiry carried out since November 1991 and concluded that torture was being systematically used by the security forces in Egypt. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have, on many occasions, made detailed recommendations to the Egyptian Government to take measures to stop violations and to improve its human rights record, but these have been ignored. The Government continues to claim that human rights are respected. It has over the last 18 months accused local and international human rights organizations of 'defending the rights of terrorists' or propagating false and politically motivated information, each time a report on any aspect of human rights in the country is published by these organizations. Amnesty International once again calls on the Egyptian Government to end human rights violations by introducing adequate legal and practical safeguards to ensure effective implementation of all the provisions contained in international human rights treaties, especially the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which were ratified by Egypt in 1982 and 1986, respectively.

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