We have added some new material in the Reports Section. Exposing State hypocrisy:sexual violence by security forces in Egypt released in May 20th 2015 documents the surge of sexual violence perpetrated by security forces in the country since the military takeover (met with muted or no criticism by western powers/media) of July 2013
The report finds that under the current regime, sexual violence targets all those apprehended by the security forces, indiscriminately and regardless of the context in which they were detained. In addition to opponents of General el-Sisi’s regime, victims include members of NGOs, students, women and those perceived as endangering the moral order.
Based on interviews with victims, lawyers and members of human rights NGOs, the report reveals the involvement of police, National Security Intelligence officers and the military in sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, rape with objects, electrocution of genitalia, sex-based defamation and blackmail.
“We were attacked in a raid led by the chief of the Alexandria Criminal Intelligence (Mabahith)... They made us kneel down with our hands behind our heads. Then they took the young women to one side and frisked us with our faces towards the wall, sexually harassing us and insulting us. I tried to remove the hand of one of the Central Security soldiers from my trousers, so then they beat me with their weapons until I could no longer resist.” K., an activist from an Egyptian human rights NGO.
Such violence is perpetrated on a massive scale by state security forces, making a mockery of government commitments to make combating sexual violence in Egyptian society a priority. Piecemeal and token measures, including partial legislative reforms and the establishment of a unit within the Ministry of Interior dedicated to fighting violence against women, have had little impact on the spread of this epidemic.
Based on interviews with victims, lawyers and members of human rights NGOs, the report reveals the involvement of police, National Security Intelligence officers and the military in sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, rape with objects, electrocution of genitalia, sex-based defamation and blackmail.
“We were attacked in a raid led by the chief of the Alexandria Criminal Intelligence (Mabahith)... They made us kneel down with our hands behind our heads. Then they took the young women to one side and frisked us with our faces towards the wall, sexually harassing us and insulting us. I tried to remove the hand of one of the Central Security soldiers from my trousers, so then they beat me with their weapons until I could no longer resist.” K., an activist from an Egyptian human rights NGO.
Such violence is perpetrated on a massive scale by state security forces, making a mockery of government commitments to make combating sexual violence in Egyptian society a priority. Piecemeal and token measures, including partial legislative reforms and the establishment of a unit within the Ministry of Interior dedicated to fighting violence against women, have had little impact on the spread of this epidemic.
- World Report 2015 Egypt Human Rights Watch
- Egypt: Women’s rights activist among 17 facing spurious charges in security forces’ ‘cover up’
- Amnesty International April 2nd 2015
- In Egypt, an authoritarian regime holds sway again Ahdaf SoueifThe Guardian October 19th 2014
- #Egypt @fidh_en:security forces using sexual violence on 'massive scale' http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32790804 … @BBCWorld Report https://www.fidh.org/International-Federation-for-Human-Rights/north-africa-middle-east/egypt/stifling-egyptian-civil-society-sexual-violence-by-security-forces … May 20th 2015
- #Egypt #US military aid will further strangle democracy http://aje.io/whm5 @yehiahamed @AJEnglish April 8th 2015
- #surveillance #Egypt acquires new software to monitor. communications on #socialmedia: http://ow.ly/yCsBB @leloveluck @csmonitor July 1st 2014
