CAIRO: Amnesty International has called for urgent action to be taken by the Egyptian military junta over its arrest of activist George Ramzi Nakhla on February 6 while participating in a protest in the Egyptian capital. According to their report, they believe he may be a prisoner of conscience and was detained over his participation in the protest. Also, the London-based group reported that the man has not “received adequate medical treatment.” George Ramzi Nakhla, 22, works in a shop selling spare parts for cars and is a member of the downtown Cairo 6th of April Youth Movement. According to reports, he was arrested at around 6:30 AM in Mohamed Mahmoud Street, leading to the building of the Ministry of the Interior. At least 16 people were killed in the bloody clashes that began on February 2 in downtown Cairo after activists demanded justice for fans killed the night before in Port Said as security forces stood idly by and allowed al-Masry fans to attack al-Ahly fans following the match. Nakhla was reportedly helping to carry the injured away to a field hospital near Tahrir Square before he was arrested. He was taken into a riot police armored vehicle just after security forces broke a three-hour truce with protesters and riot police began firing tear gas at the crowds, Amnesty reported. He was taken to the Ministry of Interior then to the nearby Abdeen police station. At 8 PM he was presented before the Abdeen public prosecution, which ordered his detention for four days on charges of damaging public property, assaulting a state employee while carrying out his duties and obstructing traffic. He is one of 140 arrested that day, including a mentally disabled person and children. On February 9, the public prosecution ordered his detention for a further 15 days. He was transferred to Tora Prison, south Cairo. “George Ramzi Nakhla appears to have been ill-treated in police custody both at the police station and in Tora prison. When he appeared before the public prosecution on 6 February, witnesses saw he had bruises on his eyes and face, and was limping from a leg injury,” Amnesty said in a press statement. On February 9, a doctor examined him and found there was the possibility of internal bleeding in his left eye, a fracture to one leg and back and identified further bruises on his back. Although the public prosecution referred him on February 6 to a forensic doctor he was only examined on February 15. “It appears that he had not received medical care for his injuries in prison,” the statement continued. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/9k8gS Tags: Amnesty, Arrest, featured, George Ramzi Nakhla Section: Egypt, Human Rights, Latest News
