Egypt

Akhbar Al-Youm journalist arrested, subjected to torture

Mohamed Batawy, journalist at Akhbar Al-Youm has been detained since June 17, when the police stormed his home and arrrested him. 
 
Batawy's  family said in a statement that he had been abducted from his home, and disappeared for five days.
 
When his family later visited him in Tora prison, he revealed he had spent four days blindfolded at the National Security Agency headquarters in Shubra al-Khaima, according to their statement.
 
"Batawy told us he spent the first four days of his detention handcuffed and blindfolded while subjected to insults for being suspected of a charge  that should not be directed to a journalist, which is following an illegal group,"  al-Bedaiah website said, adding that he was slapped on his face several times, threatened with electric current and subjected to other forms of torture. The police threatened to strip him naked and hang him from the ceiling, the website reports. 
 
"This is not just a complaint to all members of the General Assembly of the Journalists' Syndicate, the Freedoms Committee of the syndicate, its chairman, and the members of the syndicate's council, but a call to stand for the victory of the dignity of the profession, as such practices are unacceptable against a colleague who committed no mistake," the website read.
 
Batawy will reportedly be interrogated on Sunday. According to the website, his release is awaited, as well an an investigation of the violations he was subjected to.

Related Articles

Back to top button