The uproar over alleged torture in the country's police stations is far from over, writes Karim El-Khashab Among the allegations of torture in Egypt's police stations that have filled the country's press in recent weeks, the case of Mohamed Abdel-Rahman, a 12-year-old boy who died after being released from Mansoura police station almost two weeks ago, continues to give rise to fierce controversy. While a spokesmen for the Interior Ministry issued a statement last week saying that the coroner's office had ruled that the boy had died of a lung infection, and not as a consequence of torture, on Tuesday the prosecutor- general's office said that it would investigate the case further and exhumed the body for further testing amidst an outcry from members of the boy's family. Hamdi El-Baz, the family's lawyer, told Al-Ahram Weekly that, "it was absolutely normal for such a procedure to take place in the light of the irregularities around the case." "There are clear circumstances here calling for the body to be re-examined," Hamdi said, citing the report issued by the health inspector while the boy was hospitalised, which alleges that torture was involved. The short time taken to transport the boy from the hospital to his burial without the consent of his mother shows that the Interior Ministry wants to end the matter quickly, Hamdi added. "There is a web of conspiracy here between the doctors that treated him and the police officers involved, all in an attempt to hide the true circumstances of his death," Hamdi said, adding that he had named the police officers and doctors involved in his report to the attorney-general. Increasing pressure has been mounting in the press to investigate the death of the boy after a video surfaced on the Internet showing Abdel-Rahman before he died. The 15-minute video apparently shows the boy and his mother, Sayeda Sorour, the latter pointing to marks of the alleged abuses on the boy's body. Most striking at first is the frail condition of the body, the boy appearing to have been desperately malnourished. In the video, the boy's body is covered only by a thin blanket around his waist, which his mother removes to show what appear to be burn marks on his genitals and signs that the boy might have been raped. On his back there appears to be a severe burn mark. Sorour told the Weekly from her one-room home that her son had passed away soon after the recording was made, and that he could barely speak after he was released. She maintained the same determination she has shown since the case began, vowing to continue pushing for a full investigation despite what she says is intimidation by police officers. She also fended off criticisms from the Interior Ministry that she is being paid to show the video and continue the investigation. In press reports, Interior Minister Habib El-Adli said he will not hesitate "to punish whoever is proven to have administered torture". A ministry source insisted that the media was making too much of recent reports of misconduct by police officers. "We deal with thousands of citizens every day and millions every year, and the existence of a few isolated instances does not reflect on the overall performance of the police," the source told the Weekly. "The majority of our police officers are well trained and understand the extent of the law, and anyone who steps outside the boundaries is dealt with accordingly," he added, blaming the press's desire for sensationalism for stoking the controversy. However, many have placed the blame squarely at the feet of the Interior Ministry. Ahmed Hegazi, who works at the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in Cairo, told the Weekly that the problem began with the training young police cadets receive. "Much of the training is military in style and concentrates on building physical strength," he said, adding that police work is not properly taught and the methods used are usually outdated. Police officers then learn that exerting a little physical pressure on a prisoner can yield quicker results than proper investigation. Nevertheless, Hegazi said that the police have reason to be concerned with the wave of criticisms against them. "In order to enforce the law, especially in rural areas in Egypt, the police need the cooperation of citizens," he said, pointing out that growing discontent with the Interior Ministry could lead to a deterioration in law and order if citizens are unwilling to assist the police in their work. "The ministry is quick to react to complaints only when the person complaining could stir up anger towards them in his area," Hegazi said, adding that beyond this there has tended to be little response to the thousands of complaints received over the years.
