Amnesty International has called on Egyptian authorities to open investigations into claims by detained supporters of President Mohamed Morsy that they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment while in custody.
The rights group has stressed the importance that those accused of inciting violence in the last two weeks of clashes should be given a fair trial.
The international human rights organization said in a Wednesday report that Egyptian authorities denied hundreds of Morsy supporters their legal rights, pointing at collected testimonies from detainees that they were beaten upon arrest and electrically shocked.
Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said that, in light of extreme polarization and division, the prosecutor general must more than ever demonstrate that investigations are independent and free from political bias.
“It is impossible to build confidence in a justice system that targets only supporters of Morsy,” she said.
Meanwhile, security forces denied the use of violence or unlawful killing of demonstrators.
“Everyone has the right to a fair trial, regardless of their political affiliation, which may differ from that of the authorities,” she said. “This includes the right to immediate access to lawyers and family.”
According to Amnesty International, 660 people, including prominent leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, have been arrested since the overthrow of Morsy.
The organization expressed concerns about the conditions of detention, saying families of some detainees do not know where they were taken or whether they were allowed to see a lawyer.
