EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: MDE 12/12/90

Distr: UA/SC

UA 461/90 Torture 14 November 1990

EGYPT Mamdouh 'Ali YOUSSEF

Safwat 'ABD AL-GHANI

Muhammad Ahmad AL-NAGGAR

'Azzat Hussein 'ALI

'Abd al-Nasser Nouh AHMAD

'Assem 'Ali al-Sayyid 'OTHMAN

'Adel 'Ali MUSALLAM

Ahmad Mostafa ZAKI

Muhammad Mostafa ZAKI

Abu al-Makarim 'ABD AL-RAHMAN

The above were arrested and charged with participating in the assassination of the Speaker of the People's Assembly, Dr Rifa'at al-Mahgoub, and five guards in Cairo on 12 October. Following the assassination mass arrests took place, initially focussing on Arab nationals, and then among Egyptian members and sympathizers of Islamic groups throughout the country. The total number of those arrested is not known.

Amnesty International has received reports that the above ten are among many who have been subjected to torture to make them confess to having been involved in the crime. They are believed to be held by the State Security Intelligence Police (SSIP) at its directorate in Lazoghly, Cairo. Defence lawyers who were allowed to attend two sessions of their interrogation before the State Security Procuracy have been banned from attending subsequent sessions and have been denied access to their clients at their place of detention. One of the accused, Mamdouh 'Ali Youssef, was reported to have suffered a spinal injury as a result of torture and was brought to his interrogation sessions on a stretcher, unable to move.

Information received by Amnesty International indicates that the State Security Procuracy has registered the physical marks of torture apparent on the bodies of the ten men named above, but there are fears that the torture may be continuing as long as they remain held by the SSIP in incommunicado detention.

The torture of political detainees held under emergency legislation is a long-standing concern. Detainees are held in incommunicado detention, without access to lawyers, relatives or medical doctors. In a report issued on 17 October Amnesty International urged the Egyptian Government to respect its obligations under national and international law, to investigate all allegations of torture and bring to justice those responsible. The organization also called for immediate measures to be taken to safeguard detainees from torture or ill-treatment.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and airmail letters:

- expressing concern at the reported torture of the ten men named above;

- urging that they be moved immediately to a recognized place of detention and that they be given prompt and frequent access to lawyers and family members;

- urging that they be given immediate medical treatment, as required, and that they be examined by a forensic medical doctor without delay;

- urging that immediate measures be taken to put an end to torture, and to investigate promptly and thoroughly the alleged torture of these ten prisoners, in accordance with the UN Convention against Torture, which Egypt has ratified.

APPEALS TO:

His Excellency

General Muhammad 'Abd al-Halim Moussa

Minister of the Interior

Ministry of the Interior

Al Sheikh Rihan Street

Bab al-Louq

Cairo

Arab Republic of Egypt

Telegrams: Interior Minister, Cairo, Egypt

Telexes: 21361 MOKM UN

Faxes: + 20 2 724 241, Attn: Head of the Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with a request to forward to the Minister of Interior

His Excellency

Badr al-Minyawi

Prosecutor General

Dar al-Qada al-'Aali

26 July Street

Cairo

Arab Republic of Egypt

Telegrams: Prosecutor General, Cairo, Egypt

Faxes: + 20 2 355 8103 (Ministry of Justice) Attn: Prosecutor General

COPIES TO:

His Excellency Dr Ahmad 'Esmat 'Abd al-Maguid

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Maidan al-Tahrir

Cairo

Arab Republic of Egypt

and to diplomatic representatives of Egypt in your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 14 December 1990.