CAIRO - An international human rights group urged Egyptian authorities Wednesday to investigate allegations of torturing peaceful protesters, including forced ‘virginity tests' on women arrested in Al Tahrir Square in the beginning of March. Amnesty International (AI) alleged that the Army officers had violently dealt with the protesters, while they were attempting to clear the square, which was the epicenter of protests that overthrew long-serving president Hosni Mubarak. "Amnesty International has been told by women protesters that they were beaten up, given electric shocks, subjected to strip searches while being photographed by male soldiers, then forced to submit to ‘virginity checks' and threatened with prostitution charges," read a statement by the watchdog. ‘Virginity tests' are a form of torture when they are forced or coerced, according to the report. "Forcing women to have ‘virginity tests' is utterly unacceptable. Its purpose is to degrade women because they are women," said Amnesty International. "All members of the medical profession must refuse to take part in such so-called 'tests'." According to the statement, one woman who said she was a virgin but whose test supposedly proved otherwise was beaten and given electric shocks. “Women and girls must be able to express their views on the future of Egypt and protest against the government without being detained, tortured, or subjected to profoundly degrading and discriminatory treatment,” said Amnesty International. Around 18 women protesters detained on March 9 were brought before a military court on March 11 and released two days later. Several received one-year suspended prison sentences, according to AI. Amnesty International opposes the trial of civilians before military courts in Egypt, which have a track record of unfair trials and where the right to appeal is severely restricted. There was no immediate comment from Egyptian officials on the report.
