Urgent Appeal | Assault, Dragging, and Stripping of Detainee “Hanzala Al-Mahi” Inside Borg Al-Arab Prison

🔴 Urgent appeal | Assault, dragging, and stripping of detainee “Hanzala Al-Mahi” inside Borg Al-Arab Prison

The Al-Shehab Center for Human Rights is following with deep concern and condemnation what detainee “Hanzala Al-Mahi” is being subjected to in terms of harassment and blatant assault inside Borg Al-Arab Prison, following his serving nearly 12 years behind bars out of a sentence of 15 years issued against him.

📌 Details of the Violation and the Crime:

Extortion and arbitrary penalties: He was subjected to repeated disciplinary measures during the past two months after he refused attempts at financial extortion by one of the criminal detainees (“the supervisors”).

Luring and dragging: He was lured out of his cell on the pretext of meeting one of the officers, only to find a crowd of informants and criminal detainees; where he was handcuffed with excessive and brutal restraints, assaulted with severe beatings and kicked in the abdomen and back, dragged across the floor, and transferred to another dormitory.

Complete stripping: He was arbitrarily stripped of all his personal belongings.

Collusion and denial of remedy: The prison administration rejected his repeated requests to meet with the head of the Criminal Investigation Department or the official in charge of national security, amid statements indicating that the assault was carried out directly on the orders of prison security officers.

Violation of the law: These practices constitute crimes of torture and ill-treatment that violate the Egyptian Constitution and the “Nelson Mandela Rules.”

⚖️ Demands of the Al-Shehab Center:

Immediate and independent investigation: The Public Prosecution should open an urgent investigation into the incident of assault, dragging, and stripping, and refer those involved for criminal and disciplinary prosecution.

Medical examination: A neutral medical committee should be assigned to examine the detainee, document his physical injuries, and provide immediate treatment.

Protection and empowerment: Transfer him to a safe location to protect him from retaliation, and enable him immediately to communicate with his family and his lawyer.

Return of belongings: Require the prison administration to return all of his stripped possessions, and halt the policy of using criminal detainees to extort other detainees.

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