On March 17th, 2011, elShorouk newspaper published an interview with Major General Hamdy Badeen, military police commander. Badeen denied all torture allegations by the army or military police and denied that the Egyptian museum has turned into a slaughter house. Badeen innocently wondered from which gate the military police vehicles would enter to collect detainees. Badeen added that he knows 27 of the revolution youth who were arrested om March 6 when demonstrators tried to get through to SSI in Lazoghl. He claimed they phoned him regretting their acts because 14 thugs joined them in the demonstration. Badeen said he never heard of Aly Sobhy, Ramy Essam, or Ziad Bakir. Badeen said he has received no complaints so far and should any one have a complaint, they have to go directly to the military prosecution. He added that military courts are part of civil court. Badeen insisted that there are no disappeared and that the armed forces would not accept any interference from external parties.

Firstly, we are not external parties. We are Egyptians who have worked in human rights in Mubarak days and will go on as long as we live. We continue to monitor human rights violations in Egypt and support their victims believing that Egyptians deserve a better life and are entitled to enjoy all their rights and live a violence and torture free life. One of those rights is to stand before a civil court for Egyptian civilians.

On March 17th, 2011, elShorouk newspaper published an interview with Major General Hamdy Badeen, military police commander. Badeen denied all torture allegations by the army or military police and denied that the Egyptian museum has turned into a slaughter house. Badeen innocently wondered from which gate the military police vehicles would enter to collect detainees. Badeen added that he knows 27 of the revolution youth who were arrested om March 6 when demonstrators tried to get through to SSI in Lazoghl. He claimed they phoned him regretting their acts because 14 thugs joined them in the demonstration. Badeen said he never heard of Aly Sobhy, Ramy Essam, or Ziad Bakir. Badeen said he has received no complaints so far and should any one have a complaint, they have to go directly to the military prosecution. He added that military courts are part of civil court. Badeen insisted that there are no disappeared and that the armed forces would not accept any interference from external parties.

Firstly, we are not external parties. We are Egyptians who have worked in human rights in Mubarak days and will go on as long as we live. We continue to monitor human rights violations in Egypt and support their victims believing that Egyptians deserve a better life and are entitled to enjoy all their rights and live a violence and torture free life. One of those rights is to stand before a civil court for Egyptian civilians.

This leads to the second point, regarding the military, we state that by all means that it is not part of the civil judiciary, ad Mr.Badeen said, but it is a special system for military personnel only.

We are now under military rule and if any citizen is likely to stand before a military court, it would be quite fair and practical to try Mubarak before military court as well as all his assistances.

We do not fabricate videos or photos. Some of these photos are for those who were demonstrating in Lazoghly and whom Mr.Badeen know by name. If photos do not reflect the truth, victims bodies and medical reports do not lie. As well accounts of mothers whose sons disappeared in military prisons and who find great difficulty in visiting them . When they visit them they see torture scars on their bodies. Those mothers do not lie. Their accounts are available for any serious. In fact, some complaints have been submitted to prosecution and forwarded to military prosecution already. If Mr.Badeen wishes to review them, we will be glad to send him a copy.

Mr. Badeen has to visit the military prosecution headquarters in Medinet Nasr to see how lawyers are treated who are not allowed to attend investigations and trials that are run without defense.

Lastly, we would like to address Mr.Badeen’s accusation to us. We documented victims accounts and took the responsibility of their rehabilitation as well as filing lawsuits for those who want. This accusation reminds us of the accusation of the interior minister, Habib elAdly, who accused us of marring his image. ElAdly and his assistances are facing trial for the same charges we pressed against him, his ministry, but his victims are not compensated yet.

We hope that confession and regret for torture would not take long, whether before or after the revolution and that perpetuators will stand before a fair court.

Until then we will continue to combat torture and expose its crimes and support its victims, in love for this country and with the sense of belonging to this people who suffered for so long and is entitled for a better future.

Signatories
El Nadim Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Awlad Elard Foundation
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
Hisham Mubarak Law Center
Nazra for Feminist Studies