The case of a citizen believed to have died as a result of torture at a police station in Cairo has been referred by Egyptian Interior Minister Mansour al-Essawy to the public prosecutor for investigation.
According to local news reports, 23-year-old Ramzi Othman died on 23 May at a Cairo hospital shortly after arrival as a result of torture by two policemen.
The leftist al-Badeel website reported that workers at the Bulaq al-Dakrur Hospital said the initial examination of Othman upon his arrival revealed a pelvic fracture and broken ribs caused by the attack.
Hospital staff said Othman died as the result of an assault. Staff members, who refused to reveal their names, also accused the hospital administration of covering up the incident.
The staff members went on to say that, according to the hospital report, Othman arrived at the hospital close to death, and that he died as a result of hypotensive shock, but that the report did not mention anything about the fractures he suffered. They also pointed to the disappearance of the X-ray images taken of the victim.
In a statement posted on its website, the Interior Ministry said that al-Essawy was keen on following up on the results of the investigations into the incident.
In the statement, al-Essawy said that his ministry would not hesitate to take legal and administrative measures if the investigations reveal any violations have been committed against the citizen in question. He said that the ministry would take such measures out of respect for legitimacy and the rule of law.
In its statement, the Interior Ministry said the victim had been accused of stealing LE11,000 from another citizen.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
