Report highlights systematic torture and ill-treatment in Egypt’s prisons
MiddleEast Monitor, March 29, 2018
A report
issued by a British parliamentary Detention Review Panel (DRP) paints a damning
picture of the Egyptian prison system and finds the conditions faced by Dr
Mohamed Morsi to be symptomatic of the institutionalised torture and
ill-treatment suffered by political prisoners in the country.
issued by a British parliamentary Detention Review Panel (DRP) paints a damning
picture of the Egyptian prison system and finds the conditions faced by Dr
Mohamed Morsi to be symptomatic of the institutionalised torture and
ill-treatment suffered by political prisoners in the country.
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| Egyptian security offices can be seen violently arresting citizens [Ashraf Amra/Apaimages] |
The panel
was commissioned at the request of the former President’s family following
concerns about his treatment in prison, where he has been held since being
overthrown by a military coup in 2013.
The DRP
was comprised of British parliamentarians and lawyers and sought to review
Morsi’s detention conditions. Chaired by Crispin Blunt MP, the former Foreign
Affairs Select Committee Chair, the panel included Minister of State for
Justice Lord Edward Faulks QC and Health and Social Care Committee member Dr
Paul Williams MP.
was comprised of British parliamentarians and lawyers and sought to review
Morsi’s detention conditions. Chaired by Crispin Blunt MP, the former Foreign
Affairs Select Committee Chair, the panel included Minister of State for
Justice Lord Edward Faulks QC and Health and Social Care Committee member Dr
Paul Williams MP.
The
panel’s report was published recently and provides an in-depth account of the
conditions facing Dr Morsi in Cairo’s notorious Tora Prison complex, also known
as the Scorpion Prison. The report notes that the prison “has been very harshly
condemned for its inability to treat prisoners in accordance with both Egyptian
and international law.” It quotes a 2016 Human Rights Watch report in which
Ibrahim Abd Al-Ghaffar, a former warden at the prison, is noted as saying that,
“[the prison] was designed so that those who go in don’t come out again, unless
dead. It was designed for political prisoners.”
panel’s report was published recently and provides an in-depth account of the
conditions facing Dr Morsi in Cairo’s notorious Tora Prison complex, also known
as the Scorpion Prison. The report notes that the prison “has been very harshly
condemned for its inability to treat prisoners in accordance with both Egyptian
and international law.” It quotes a 2016 Human Rights Watch report in which
Ibrahim Abd Al-Ghaffar, a former warden at the prison, is noted as saying that,
“[the prison] was designed so that those who go in don’t come out again, unless
dead. It was designed for political prisoners.”
The DRP
collected evidence from the first-hand testimonies of Dr Morsi, his son
Abdullah Morsi and anonymous medical professionals. These testimonies were then
combined with reports from the US State Department, Britain’s Home Office, UN
working groups and human rights NGOs such as Human Rights Watch in order to
place Morsi’s detention in the wider context of prison conditions in Egypt.
collected evidence from the first-hand testimonies of Dr Morsi, his son
Abdullah Morsi and anonymous medical professionals. These testimonies were then
combined with reports from the US State Department, Britain’s Home Office, UN
working groups and human rights NGOs such as Human Rights Watch in order to
place Morsi’s detention in the wider context of prison conditions in Egypt.
The
report stresses that, as the first democratically-elected President of Egypt,
Dr Morsi is “no ordinary prisoner.” It claims that his detention must be
analysed in light of the systematic mistreatment of Egyptian prisoners, and in
particular the “harsh treatment currently faced by members of the Muslim
Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party.” The DRP found the testimonies
of Dr Morsi and his family to be consistent with the general picture of the
conditions faced by other political prisoners in Egypt, as elucidated by
second-hand sources.
report stresses that, as the first democratically-elected President of Egypt,
Dr Morsi is “no ordinary prisoner.” It claims that his detention must be
analysed in light of the systematic mistreatment of Egyptian prisoners, and in
particular the “harsh treatment currently faced by members of the Muslim
Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party.” The DRP found the testimonies
of Dr Morsi and his family to be consistent with the general picture of the
conditions faced by other political prisoners in Egypt, as elucidated by
second-hand sources.
The panel
cite a November 2015 report by Reprieve, a non-profit legal organisation, which
states that “torture, ill-treatment and death in custody are rife in [Egypt’s]
police stations and prisons.” Indeed, according to Human Rights Monitor, more
than 300 detainees have died in prison in Egypt since the coup in 2013, with
the cause of death principally due to “medical neglect and torture.” Six
inmates of Tora Prison have died in custody since 2015, three of whom were
prevented from receiving timely medical treatment or being conditionally
released on medical grounds. These precedents give the DRP grounds to believe that,
if Dr Morsi is not given the urgent medical care he requires, his neglect will
likely lead to his premature death.
cite a November 2015 report by Reprieve, a non-profit legal organisation, which
states that “torture, ill-treatment and death in custody are rife in [Egypt’s]
police stations and prisons.” Indeed, according to Human Rights Monitor, more
than 300 detainees have died in prison in Egypt since the coup in 2013, with
the cause of death principally due to “medical neglect and torture.” Six
inmates of Tora Prison have died in custody since 2015, three of whom were
prevented from receiving timely medical treatment or being conditionally
released on medical grounds. These precedents give the DRP grounds to believe that,
if Dr Morsi is not given the urgent medical care he requires, his neglect will
likely lead to his premature death.
The
investigations conducted by the DRP have not been well-received by Egypt.
Crispin Blunt wrote to the Egyptian Ambassador in Britain, His Excellency
Nasser Kamel, to request assistance in arranging to visit Dr Morsi in prison
and to outline the mandate of the DRP. Despite repeated reminders, the DRP’s
letter remained unanswered by both the Embassy and the Egyptian Government.
investigations conducted by the DRP have not been well-received by Egypt.
Crispin Blunt wrote to the Egyptian Ambassador in Britain, His Excellency
Nasser Kamel, to request assistance in arranging to visit Dr Morsi in prison
and to outline the mandate of the DRP. Despite repeated reminders, the DRP’s
letter remained unanswered by both the Embassy and the Egyptian Government.
The DRP
report also highlights that, following the panel’s letter, an Egyptian lawyer
filed a complaint to the Egyptian Attorney General with regard to Abdullah
Morsi’s request for the DRP to investigate the conditions of his father’s
detention. Claiming that Abdullah Morsi had lied and insulted Egypt, the lawyer
said this was sufficient to bring formal criminal charges against him. The
complaint also accused the British media of “lying and fabricating” evidence in
order to damage the human rights reputation of Egypt.
report also highlights that, following the panel’s letter, an Egyptian lawyer
filed a complaint to the Egyptian Attorney General with regard to Abdullah
Morsi’s request for the DRP to investigate the conditions of his father’s
detention. Claiming that Abdullah Morsi had lied and insulted Egypt, the lawyer
said this was sufficient to bring formal criminal charges against him. The
complaint also accused the British media of “lying and fabricating” evidence in
order to damage the human rights reputation of Egypt.
Dr Morsi
is one of 60,000 political prisoners being held in Egypt’s prisons; a further
15,000 civilians are thought to have been subject to military trial since 2014.
The coup which ousted Morsi was led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the
current President of Egypt, who has instigated a strict regime of repression
against his political opponents.
is one of 60,000 political prisoners being held in Egypt’s prisons; a further
15,000 civilians are thought to have been subject to military trial since 2014.
The coup which ousted Morsi was led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the
current President of Egypt, who has instigated a strict regime of repression
against his political opponents.
