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Human Rights Watch accuses Egypt of torture

Human Rights Watch yesterday urged the US and European and Arab countries to stop transferring suspected militants to Egypt unless the Egyptian government shows it has stopped torture.

In a 53-page report, "Black Hole: The Fate of Islamists Rendered to Egypt," the New York City-based group claimed that a number of suspects sent to Egypt from abroad -- mostly Islamic militants -- had been tortured.

"Do not under any circumstances extradite, render, or otherwise transfer to Egypt persons suspected or accused of security offenses unless and until the government of Egypt has demonstrated that it has ended practices of torture and ill-treatment," the report said.

At least 63 people who have been sent to, and in a few cases from, Egypt since 1995, the report said, based on press reports and interviews with exile activists, Egyptian lawyers, human-rights groups and detainee's families. The actual number was likely much higher, it said.

There was no immediate US or Egyptian comment on the report. In April, US President George W. Bush was asked about sending terror suspects abroad to a third country for interrogations.

"We operate within the law, and we send people to countries where they say they're not going to torture the people," Bush said. "The US government has an obligation to protect the American people ... We expect the countries where we send somebody to not to torture as well."

Most transfers happen with no due process protections, and the detainees are often held in prolonged incommunicado detention, Human Rights Watch said.

The practice increased after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, with the US sending some terror suspects to Egypt and elsewhere and pressing other countries to do the same.

"Under increased pressure from the US government to cooperate, and, in some cases, wanting to benefit from improved relations with the US, these governments have begun to cooperate with Egypt," Human Rights Watch said.

The report cited the case of Mamdouh Habib, an Egypt-born Australian, who said he was detained in Pakistan in October 2001, where he was interrogated by US agents, according to the report. Habib said he was then sent to Egypt, alleging he was tortured there in prison for six months before he was sent to the US naval base at Guantanamo for three years, the report said. He was later released.

Sending suspects to Egypt under current conditions violated international laws, Human Rights Watch said. In some cases, Egypt has often refused to acknowledge that detainees are in its custody.

"In the handful of cases in which information eventually does surface, it turns out that the suspects have been tortured or otherwise severely mistreated," it said.
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