With only one month before the five-year January 25th anniversary of the popular uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak, Egypt is reeling over the deaths of tortured detainees.

With only one month before the five-year January 25th anniversary of the popular uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak, Egypt is reeling over the deaths of tortured detainees.

Last week hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets all across the southern governorate of Luxor to protest the death of Talaat Shabeeb, a 47-year-old father who was arrested at a coffee shop, supposedly for possession of illegal pain killers.

“The forensic report shows that he arrived dead at the hospital with bruises on his body,” says Talaat’s cousin Youssef Shabeeb. “We are now waiting the final report and the prosecutor’s investigation.”

The forensic report will prove if torture was the cause of death, said the attorney general. “Those behind his death will be punished if proven guilty,” he said.  However, he did not mention any action to be taken by the prosecutor in case no torture was mentioned in the final forensic report

Since then thousands of people have taken to the streets in well-organized demonstrations in a governorate that has not previously witnessed any mass uprisings similar to other cities during the January 25, 2011 revolution.

Demonstrators raised five demands to be met before reaching any reconciliation with the police: an investigation into Shabeeb’s death, an apology by the Ministry of Interior for the police violation, with promises not to repeat further violations, and compensation for the people of Awamiya and the victim’s family.

The ministry, however, did not apologize. On the contrary, 24 more young men from Awamiya were arrested but the Luxor attorney general ordered them to be released the following morning.

Another case

Luxor protests were nearly over until social media  re-ignited the situation after local media reports that Amr Abu Shanab died in Shbin Elkanater police station,  in Qalyubia governorate in southern Delta.

A video of the incident was circulated on the official website of the Ismailia Union of Pharmacists and shows the officer breaking into the pharmacy, owned by Shanab’s wife, assaulting hShanab and forcing him out while holding onto the back of his neck.  The officer led Shanab to the station where the latter died according to the medical staff who took him to the hospital. The attorney general ordered an autopsy for the cause of death. Police officer Mohamed Ibrahim has been arrested and suspended for killing Hosni.

Corruption

The attorney general of October City also ordered an officer from the Roads and Ports Authority to be detained under investigation for four days for possession of heroin and misleading  justice by falsely accusing an innocent bus driver.

Investigations led by the attorney general of Southern Giza revealed that the  bus driver, Hasan Juma’a was transporting students to school. The bus driver blocked the passage of a car without plates being driven by the accused officer, who then assaulted the bus driver. He asked him to apologize for blocking his way, threatened him, charged the bus driver with possession of heroin, and finally arrested him.

Eyewitnesses, who documented the encounter on video, presented their testimony to the attorney general. The inspection of the officer confirmed that he had prior possession of the drug.

Tweeting on torture incidents in police stations, Vice President for International Relations said: “Every community has a minimum of humanity. The UN convention against torture emphasizes that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever may be invoked to justify torture.”

Guise of anti-terrorism

Police brutality has increased dramatically in Egypt under the pretext of antiterrorism measures, which has given rise to questions about the MoI’s priorities in combating terrorism. The recent incidents of torture have overshadowed the sympathy for the police on social media after the recent death of four policemen in an ambush by two motorcyclists in southern Giza.

Some social media users have sarcastically suggested that the MoI is mobilizing Egyptians to celebrate the anniversary of the January 25th Revolution, which, ironically, coincides with the National Day of Police in Egypt.