[mgj-discuss] Egyptian Anti-War Activists Arrested and Tortured-- can we protest Monday?

Fri Feb 21 12:47:08 EST 2003

15 activists arrested or abducted, many are tortured.
info at:  www.stopwar.org.uk

In Britain they are going to protest on Monday, 24 February 2003,
from 18:00 to 19:00, at the Egyptian Embassy.

Shall we do the same here in Washington? 

Can people please spread the news of the arrests to other DC organizations?  Can we discuss calling for an action on Monday?   I propose we DISCUSS this on the dawn-discuss-dc list

liaisons of variousl can send comments to dawn-discuss-dc at yahoogroups.com

(you may have to subscribe temporarilly)

and you can view it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dawn-discuss-dc

----
The Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court, NW, Washington DC 20008

Telephone: (202) 895-5400
Fax: (202) 244-4319
E-mail: embassy at egyptembdc.org
URL: http://www.embassyofegyptwashingtondc.org/

------

At least 15 Egyptian activists and organisers against war on Iraq
have been arrested in Cairo. Ten remain in detention without charge.
Most have been tortured with electro-shock. Several of those tortured
are school students. Fourteen peace and human rights groups in Egypt
have asked us to do what we can to get them released.

--- In NYCAnti-War at yahoogroups.com, Bilal Elamine 
wrote:
Another Egyptian anti-war activist has been seized, and almost all
those seized have been tortured. The details are in the text below
and the attachment. I know of protests in France, England, Poland and
Australia. Could any one who knows of protests in other countries, or
can help, please contact me. Thank You, Jonathan Neale

EGYPTIAN ANTI-WAR ACTIVIST ABDUCTED IN CAIRO

On Wednesday 19 February Kemal Khalil disappeared near his home in
Cairo. Khalil is one of the leaders of Egypt's anti-war movement and
a founder of the International Campaign Against Aggression Against
Iraq.

His colleagues feared that Khalil had been kidnapped by undercover
police. A day later it was clear that he had been seized by officers
of State Security Intelligence (SSI) and taken to Lazoghly security
headquarters where he is being held incommunicado. Lazogly is
notorious as Egypt's torture centre.

The detention of Kemal Khalil brings to 11 the number of anti-war
activists being held without charge in Cairo.

Wa'el Khalil, a spokesman for the detainees said, "Kemal was
kidnapped. He was simply taken off the street - no charge, no formal
arrest. No one was informed - not his family or friends. He was
kidnapped. This is the way the SSI operate, taking who they like
whenever they like and keeping them for as long as they like."

Arrests began during an anti-war demonstration on January 18. Later,
activists were seized from their homes and taken to Lazoghly. Most
were tortured with electro-shock treatment and were repeatedly
beaten. None were charged. Human Rights Watch has called on the
Egyptian government to investigate the treatment of the detainees, to
punish officials responsible for torture of ill-treatment, and to
compensate the victims.

Lindsey German, Convenor of the Stop the War Coalition, said: "Tony
Blair tells us that war against Iraq will be a war for democracy and
freedom. Here is Egypt - the chief ally of the US and Britain in the
Arab world - seizing and torturing people who speak out against war.

"Will Blair denounce these arrests? Will he take action to free these
political prisoners?  Can he show us that his morality is superior to
that of dictators like Egypt's Mubarak?"

Under a law of 1958 the Egyptian government can suspend civil
liberties by declaring a state of emergency. Such a state of
emergency has been in force almost continuously since 1967. Amnesty
International has condemned the practice of "administrative
detention" under which prisoners may be seized without charge and
held for years without trial.

One prisoner has been released. Ibrahim al-Sahary was freed after
being held in solitary confinement at Tura Prison and being beaten
and interrogated at the Lazoghly centre.

Most of the anti-war activists are being incommunicado at two
prisons. Tamer Hindawi, Samir al-Fuli, Mohamed Khalil Ghattas,
Mohamed Dakhly, Abdel-Gawad Ahmed Mustafa and Sabry al-Sammak are
held at Tura Prison south of Cairo. Magdi al-Kordi, Nasser Saad,
Tariq Ahmed Ibrahim and Mustafa Mohamed Fawzi are being held at
Al-Darb al-Ahmar Prison in the east of the city.

Amnesty International has described conditions in Egypt's prisons as
amounting to "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment". Lack of hygiene
and medical care mean that many prisoners suffer from tuberculosis,
skin diseases and paralysis. Several prisoners have died as a result
of illnesses which received no or little treatment.

The Stop the War Coalition has called for the immediate release of
the prisoners. It has organised a protest at the Egyptian Embassy,
South Street, London W1, on Monday 24 February at 6pm.

* More information from Stop the War Coalition: 020 7053 2155/6 *
www.stopwar.org.uk * office at s...

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