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Egypt: Assault against Ms. Magda Adly The
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme
of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention
regarding the following situation in Egypt. Brief
description of the situation: The
Observatory has been informed by the International Rehabilitation Council for
Torture Victims (IRCT) about the assault against Ms. Magda Adly, a medical
doctor and a member of the El Nadim Centre for Psychological Management and
Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence. According
to the information received, on April 30, 2008, Drs. Magda Adly and Mona
Hamed were assaulted inside the courthouse of the town of Kafr El Dawwar in
Northern Egypt. Indeed, upon entering the courthouse, Dr. Adly was attacked by
a man who appeared to attempt to steal her handbag and pushed her on the
floor, causing her a cut wound to her left eyebrow as well as a possible
dislocation of her shoulder. Moreover, she experienced a period of
unconsciousness and confusion. After the assault, the man would have
confessed that he had acted upon orders of Chief intelligence officer Ahmed
Maklad of the Kafr El Dawwar police. While hospitalised, Ms. Adly was
interrogated for two hours, starting at 1 pm on the morning of May 1, 2008. In
addition, the car of Dr. Mona Hamed, another member of the El Nadim Centre,
was destroyed in the course of the events under circumstances that are yet
unclear. These
events happened immediately before the two doctors were to appear in Court
and testify in a case concerning several members of a local family who had
been subjected to torture by local police. Indeed, on the morning of April
30, 2008, El Nadim Centre had released a statement calling for an
investigation into the allegations of torture and other ill-treatment of
members of the Sobhi Mohamed Sobhi Hussein family by the local police in Kafr
El Dawwar (Upon
an appeal from the family, a team comprising medical experts from El Nadim
Center went to Kafr el Dawwar to take testimony from Mr. Hussein and several
family members who had been subjected to torture by officers of the local
police.). The
Observatory expresses its deep concern about these acts of intimidation
against Ms. Magda Adly and Ms. Mona Hamed, and fears that they might be aimed
at sanctioning her activities in favour of human rights. Action
requested: i. Guarantee in all
circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Drs. Magda Adly and
Mona Hamed; ii. Order a thorough and
impartial investigation into these events in order to identify all those
responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and
apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law; iii. Put an end to all forms of
harassment against all human rights defenders in Egypt; iv. Conform with the provisions of the
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on
December 9, 1998, in particular its Articles 1 (“everyone has the right,
individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the
protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the
national and international levels”) and 12.2 (“The State shall take all
necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of
everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence,
threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or
any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise
of the rights referred to in the [...] Declaration”); v. Ensure in all
circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance
with international human rights standards and international instruments
ratified by Egypt. Addresses: ·
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Mohammad Hosni
Mubarak, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg,
Fax: +202 390 1998 ·
Prime Minister Mr. Ahmed Mahmoud Mohamed Nazif, Magles El Shaab
Street, Kasr El Aini Street, Cairo, Egypt. Fax: + 202 735 6449 / 7958016.
Email: primemin@idsc.gov.eg ·
Minister of the Interior, General Habib Ibrahim Habib El Adly,
Ministry of the Interior, El-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt,
E-mail: moi1@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 579 2031 / 794 5529 ·
Minister of Justice, Mr. Mamdoh Mohie E-din Marie, Ministry of
Justice, Magles El Saeb Street, Wezaret Al Adl, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail:
mojeb@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 795 8103 ·
Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Maher ‘Abd al-Wahid, Dar al-Qadha
al-’Ali, Ramses Street, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 577 4716 ·
National Council For Human Rights, Fax: + 202 5747497 / 5747670 ·
Ambassador Sameh Shoukry, 49 avenue Blanc, 1202 Genève, Switzerland,
Email: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 738 44 15 ·
Embassy of Egypt in Brussels, 19 avenue de l’Uruguay, 1000 Brussels,
Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 675.58.88; Email: embassy.egypt@skynet.be Please also write to the diplomatic
representatives of Egypt in your respective countries *** Geneva-Paris, May 7, 2008 Kindly inform the Observatory of any action
undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply. The
Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human
Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. Kindly inform the Observatory of any action
undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply. The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture,
is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer
them concrete support in their time of need. To contact the Observatory, call the
emergency line: Tel and fax FIDH: +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 /
43 55 18 80 Tel and fax OMCT: (+ 41 22) 809 49 39 / 809
49 29 Email: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
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