February 11, 2011 at 15:45:43
Egyptian military tortured, "disappeared" thousands of demonstrators
By Tom Eley
Since demonstrations and strikes erupted against the Mubarak regime on January 25, the Egyptian military has arrested, tortured and "disappeared" thousands, according to reports from the Guardian newspaper and human rights organizations.
The revelations explode the claim advanced by the Obama administration that Egypt's army is a neutral arbiter in the crisis and can lead a "transition" to human rights and democracy. They also give the lie to the claim that the military can be relied upon to protect the population from the hated state security forces, an argument advanced by both Mohammed ElBaradei and the Muslim Brotherhood. The military has, in fact, assumed the brutal role of the police and security forces, which have, at least in part, dissolved in the face of the revolution.
According to Human Rights Watch, at least 302 Egyptians have been killed in the protests, the vast majority of these at the hands of the security forces, pro-government thugs and the military. Heba Morayef, a researcher for Human Rights Watch in Cairo who participated in the count, said that the ultimate number will likely be far higher.
The number of the disappeared -- those arrested by the military with no record or official acknowledgment of their fate -- runs into the hundreds, possibly thousands, Hossam Bahgat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in Cairo, told the Guardian. Their "crimes" include carrying political leaflets, attending demonstrations, "or even the way they look," the newspaper reports.
More:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Egyptian-military-tortured-by-Tom-Eley-110211-721.html
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
