Egypt human rights body reports torture, violations

PanARMENIAN.Net - Egypt's government-sanctioned human rights body said Sunday, July 3 that it has received reports of torture and forced disappearances, reflecting the findings of local and international human rights groups, the Associated Press reports.

In an assessment far less critical than that of more independent organizations, the head of the National Council for Human Rights, Mohammed Fayek, said his group has also received complaints about poor conditions in prisons.

"We've received many complaints about law enforcement concerning torture and (inmates') poor living conditions. And of course, law enforcement officials have denied such allegations," he said.

He said his group has officially documented three cases in which authorities tortured detainees to death, AP says.

Authorities launched a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent after the military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. Thousands of people, mainly his Islamist supporters but also a number of well-known secular activists, have been jailed.

Rights activists say that police under President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who as defense minister led Morsi's overthrow, are acting with near total impunity, torturing suspects, abusing detainees and making random arrests.