Amnesty wants Egypt torture claims probed

Allegations that torture is being carried out by supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi must be investigated, says Amnesty International.

Rights group Amnesty International has called for an immediate investigation into allegations that supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi tortured opponents in Cairo.

"Evidence, including testimonies from survivors, indicates that supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi tortured individuals from a rival political camp," the group said in a statement on Friday.

It said opponents of the Islamist leader reported being "captured, beaten, subjected to electric shocks or stabbed by individuals loyal to the former president".

"Allegations that torture is being carried out by individuals are extremely serious and must be investigated as a matter of urgency," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, the group's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Sahraoui warned, however, that Egypt's interim government must not use the incidents of alleged torture to "collectively punish all pro-Morsi supporters or use excessive force to disperse their sit-ins".

Morsi's supporters have been camped out at two main protest sites in Cairo for weeks since his ouster on July 3.

They have pledged to continue their demonstrations until his reinstatement and defied calls from the government to disperse.

More than 250 people have been killed in the period since Morsi's ouster, including last Saturday, when at least 82 people were killed at a demonstration by his backers.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world