About This Egyptian Disgrace of the Detention and Torture of Esraa Abdel-Fattah!

Published in October 14, 2019

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Firstly: the arrest of Ms. Esraa Abdel-Fattah:

 We have read this piece of news in the CNN Arabic website: (The abduction, arbitrary detention and torture of human rights defender and journalist Ms. Esraa Abdel-Fattah on the 13^th of Oct., 2019, is another indication that Egyptian authorities are stepping up brutality against human rights defenders in a bid to ‘terrorize’ critics and opponents. The prosecutor ordered the detention of Ms. Abdel-Fattah for a further 15 days while she is investigated for “joining a terrorist group in achieving its goals”, “disseminating false news” and “misusing social media” as part of a case that also includes human rights defenders such as the activist Ms. Mahinor Al-Masry and Mr. Khaled Dawood one of the leaders of Al-Dostor political party. As per many Egyptian activists, charges against Ms. Abdel-Fattah are completely unfounded and solely stem from the peaceful practice of the accused’s rights to freedom of expression, association and participation in public affairs. Ms. Abdel-Fattah was questioned about her previous political activism. The prosecutor did not produce any evidence against her, other than an investigation case-file that neither she nor her lawyers are able to examine. Ms. Abdel-Fattah was assaulted and abducted by security forces in plainclothes on the 13^th of October. The next day, she described to the Supreme State Security Prosecution how she was tortured by officers who beat her, attempted to strangle her and forced her to stand for nearly eight hours. She was among those who called for the demonstrations of the 2011 revolt and she co-founded the 6^th of April movement. Ms.Abdel-Fattah has been targeted on spurious grounds and is being arbitrarily detained for her work defending human rights. She was abducted at night from her car before being taken to an undisclosed place of detention, managed by the Egyptian National Security Agency, and was barred from contacting her family or lawyers.Ms. Abdel-Fattah was among the first human rights defenders in Egypt to face a travel ban, when she was prevented to board a plane from Cairo airport in 2015 and was told by officials that there is a travel ban decision against her in relation to the NGO foreign funding case known as “case 173”.).

Secondly: the detention and torture of Ms. Esraa Abdel-Fattah:

 A male activist narrates the following points after his meeting with Ms. Abdel-Fattah in the location of her detention: the headline of his article is as follows: (Details of 24 Hours of Torturing Abdel-Fattah).

1- Her torture began when she was abducted and forced to leave her car; she was beaten by several men who led her into their car while arresting her.

2- Once she reached her unlawful detention location – which is the Egyptian National Security Agency – one officer threatened her with torture after she refused to grant him access to her mobile phone.

3- Because of her refusal, several men then entered the room and began beating her on her face and body.

4- The officer then returned and repeated his request for her to unlock her phone. She refused again and the officer took off her sweatshirt and strangled her with it saying: “your life in exchange for the phone”, until she gave him her password as she feared for her life.

5- The officer then handcuffed her hands and legs to prevent her from sitting or kneeling and kept her in that position for almost eight hours.

6- Within these eight hours, the officer interrogated her; he examined her phone and social media applications and posed questions to he about her relation with the persons she contacted.

7- After this torture and interrogation, another officer came to her and said he disapproves of the torture that has been inflicted on her, but he warned that she would face further torture if she reported what had happened to the prosecutor. This officer threatened her to use her personal photos found in her phone to expose her in the media.

8- The prosecutor listened to her as she told him how she was tortured; she requested to take off her sweatshirt to show him the signs of torture on her neck and hands; she requested to be examined by a forensic doctor to prove these signs of torture in a report; she declared she will begin a hunger strike until investigation would begin regarding her being tortured. 

9- As typically expected in such cases, the prosecutor ordered her detention of for a further 15 days pending investigation.

10- Lastly, her message to others is as follows: To expose the torture that has been inflicted on her; she is ready to pay the heavy price in return for exposing this crime of torture so that all people would know about it.

11- Because we know her very well, it is assumed she has reached such a decision after thinking deeply all night; she is a known activist who received international awards; her detention is illegal; what about those who are detailed illegally for weeks and no one heard about them and about what happened to them?!

12- Respecting her wishes, and because we believe she thinks about other detainees who would be or have been tortured, we demand from readers to spread the details of what happened to her as per her narration. 

Thirdly: the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi is the 'hero' who achieved 'victory' against Ms. Esraa Abdel-Fattah, among his other 'victories':

 Al-Sisi, as a representative of the Egyptian Military Armed Forces is the one who issued the order of arresting Ms. Abdel-Fattah, who is the icon of the 2011 revolt; this is among his unprecedented 'achievements' which include the following list.

1- Al-Sisi made his first appearance when he headed  the military intelligence; his first 'victory' was to punish several free young women for their participation in the 2011 revolt by what was known as (the virginity test) during their arrest and detention; this disgrace is unprecedented in Egyptian history. 

2- Ceding the two Red-Sea islands, Tiran and Sanafir, to the KSA.

3- Ceding Egypt's rights in the River Nile.

4- Ceding Egypt's rights in oil excavations in the Mediterranean Sea.

5- Bringing billions of US$ of loans/debts and stealing/smuggling billions of US$; this is not to mention squandering billions of US$ in futile projects and the erection of palaces and so on and so forth.

6- Oppressing Egyptian citizens with torture, poverty, forced disappearance, and murder.

7- Making Egypt a dependent dwarf in relation to Ibn Salman of the KSA and Ibn Zayed of the UAE.

8- Smuggling Egyptian/Pharaonic artifacts.

9- Forced displacement and murder of many people and military soldiers in Sinai presumably to continue his ruling Egypt as its enthroned tyrant.

Fourthly: Al-Sisi has achieved 'victory' against Ms. Esraa Abdel-Fattah, in contrast to the following:

1- The Tunisian nation, and its 2010 revolt, has achieved its victory against tyranny; within a pioneer democratic transition, a civil president was elected through free and transparent elections: Kais Saied (or Kaïs Saïed in French) who has been a university professor; this victory is partially thanks to the honorable, free Tunisian army which remained in its barracks to protect homeland and never played a political role or sought to rule; it remained neutral within the 2010 revolt against the ousted tyrant Ben Ali. We say: Down with the Egyptian military!

2- The Algerian government passed a law to prevent (momentarily for five years) any military figures who left or resigned from the army from (A) participating in the activities of any political parties, (B) assuming any political posts, and (C) being a candidate in any elections. As per the presidential decree in Algeria, this law aims to protect and preserve the reputation, honor, and respect of the Algerian army that never interferes with politics, as military men within five years of resignation might be recruited back in cases of emergency. We say: Down with the Egyptian military!

Lastly:

1- When any military leaves its mission of protecting and defending homeland in order to rule homeland, it fails in both rule and war; it uses its weapons only to achieve victory against the unarmed citizens of the nation! Quel courage! What bravery and courage!

2- We congratulate the Egyptian military armed forces for their achieving victory against Ms. Esraa Abdel-Fattah! Quelle honte! What a shame!