A torture incident was reported in Shubra police station, the latest in a string of cases of abuses that have been reported within the past two weeks. The tortured detainee was reportedly released Sunday, following a complaint filed to the Interior Minister, according to the Lawyers Syndicate’s Freedoms Committee.
The committee reported ‘extra-judicial’ detentions as well as torture cases in Shubra police station, among which is the case of a 16-year-old girl.
The detained high school student filed a complaint to the Interior Ministry and the prosecution regarding her treatment in the aforementioned police station as well as the legality of her detention.
The medical examination revealed she had bruises on her shoulders and hands, as well as abrasions on the chest and back. An orthopaedic examination was also requested.
The girl was arrested in the early hours of Thursday, after which she was detained and reportedly tortured in the police station. She was referred to the prosecution on Friday, and was ordered to be released. However, the police station did not implement the decision.
A member of the Freedoms Committee, Sayeda Qandil, attempted to facilitate the girl’s release, but the request was refused. After exhausting all legal course, Qandil resorted to Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar. The girl was then released Sunday following the complaint, which was filed on the same day.
Qandil denounced the absence of police officers in the Interior Ministry, aside from the security forces, during night time. “This facilitates the rise of torture as there is no tracking of violations during that time,” the committee’s statement read.
The committee further condemned the treatment of detainees inside police stations and the stations’ intransigence in filing reports. It demanded the provision of all measures necessary to prevent violations occurring during the evening.
Torture cases have been on the rise the past two weeks, with at least three cases resulting in deaths. There are ongoing investigations into torture accusations.
Among the cases was 19-year-old detainee Mohamed Moawad, who suffers an intellectual disability. He was reportedly tortured until a part of his stomach had to be surgically removed.
Abdel Ghaffar held a meeting Tuesday with a group of journalists to discuss police abuse and plans to confront terrorism. He confirmed the ministry’s efforts to penalise policemen for negative behaviour and enhance supervision by introducing inspection apparatuses within police stations to monitor performance and to observe violations