Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud ordered the launch of an investigation into an incident of torture that allegedly took place at State Security headquarters in Fayoum where a physiotherapist says he was beaten, tortured and stripped of his clothes after helping to organize activities in support of ElBaradei running for the presidency. Taha Mohamed Abdel el-Tawwab said he was summoned to State Security headquarters last Monday where an officer questioned him about his role in activities in support of ElBaradei, and whether he had called for action to protect Al-Aqsa. Abdel el-Tawwab said the officer beat him, insulted him with obscene language, and kicked him. He said that the officer then ordered policemen to strip him and beat him yet again. Abdel el-Tawwad said he was then detained naked until the following morning when he was discharged, suffering from extreme fatigue. Some passers-by found the physiotherapist lying on the ground before dawn and took him to the Senoures central hospital for treatment. The victim said he plans to go on hunger strike until the officer in question is referred for prosecution. More than 30 lawyers have submitted a memorandum urging an investigation into the incident to Fayoum's public attorney Abdel Haii Fazoura, who in turn referred the matter to the Senoures prosecution office for further investigation, as ordered by the attorney general. Ahmed el-Gohari, a district attorney, was also sent to the hospital to question the victim. Abdel el-Tawwab declined to speak to any officers. He accuses six policemen and officers of torturing him. He has since been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
