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Press Release, 21-7-2003
It its hearing session on 20/07/2003 Alexandria Misdemeanor Court issued the verdict in the case No 11388/2002 that was filed against the police officer Yasser Hussain Yousry (first indicted) and police officer Hussam Abu El-Maaly (second indicted). The two police officers were sentenced three months prison with labor and a stay of execution for three years. The second indicted was sentenced to pay an amount of 500 EGP as a temporary compensation. The court also sentenced that the two indicted police officers and the Minister of Interior, as their employer must pay an amount of 2001 EGP as a temporary compensation to the civil right plaintiff, and pay also the lawyer fees and the other expenses as well. Worthy mentioning that AHRLA's lawyer had followed up the case and demanded the court to sentence the two indicted police officers to the maximum punishment. But the court sentenced the abovementioned sentence. The General Prosecution had submitted the two police officers to the court with the indictment of using cruelty and ill treatment with the citizen Mohamed Khalil Hassen Ibrahim on 10/03/2002. Misusing their power, they tied his hands up with the iron and hanged him in a metal cycle in the administrative detention at Al-Gomrok police station. That was mentioned in the investigations and the forensic medicine; the injuries caused him to be ill for a period not less than twenty days. The second indicted police officer had caused both Ibrahim Mohammed El-Shamy and Medhat Fahmy Ibrahim financial damage by destroying their properties as mentioned in the investigation, the same indicted had attacked Medhat's house illegally. "Medhat Fahmy Ibrahim Ali died in Al-Gomrok police station out of being tortured" AHRLA calls upon the Egyptian Government to review and amend its legislations related to Torture and illegal detention in order to be in consistency with the international Human Rights instruments ratified by Egypt. AHRLA also calls the Minister of Interior to strictly suspend the police officers against whom there are complaints of misusing their power, practicing torture, ill treatment and illegal detention till the court or the General Prosecution decide or issue a sentence in these complaints. Any police officer proved to practice torture or ill treatment or using cruelty with the citizens should have another position that does not require to deal directly with people. Finally, the Association for Human Rights Legal Aid appeals to the Egyptian legislator to strict and strengthen the punishment of the crime of practicing torture in order to prevent any other who might think easily or make light of the citizens' physical safety or dignity. AHRLA also demand that the legislator to allow the victims of torture or ill treatment or illegal detention to file the lawsuits directly seeking the most strict punishment for the torturers to be a deterrent for their a like. |