Egyptian police accused by family members of torturing teenager to death

Egyptian police accused by family members of torturing teenager to death

2010-11-16 01:21:50 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO, EGYPT (BNO NEWS) -- Egyptian police have been accused of beating a teenager to death and dumping his body in a canal, according to a video posted on the Internet,

Ahmed Shaaban, 19, according to his family, was tortured, killed, and dumped into a lake by members of the Sidi Gaber Police Station, while local authorities say the teenager committed suicide.

"They went to his friend's sister's wedding," Ashraf Alsayyed Mohammed, Shaaban's uncle said. "On their way back, a check point stopped them. They wanted to search them."

Mohammaed explains Shaaban refused to be searched, showed them his ID, but after an argument, he was arrested and taken to a police station, where he was allegedly tortured to death. His body was later thrown into the Mahmudyah Lake where it laid for days.

Walid Abdelraziq, Shabaan's friend, said he went to the Sidi Gaber Police Station in search of his friend, but he was told he was not there. Three days later, however, officers confirmed Shabaan was there, but no visits were allowed or food delivery.

On Friday, Abdelraziq explains, an anonymous person informed them that a jacket and cell phone was found in the Mahmudyah Lake, and on Sunday, the morgue called them in order for them to identify a body as they had previously reported Shaaban as missing.

Nonetheless, family members then say they were not allowed to claim the body, and they were ordered to go directly to the burial site.

Lawyer Ahmad Qutb, who is defending Shabaan's case, has dismissed official claims that he committed suicide.

"There are photos and evidence [that] confirm that he did not commit suicide," Qutb states, adding that a preliminary investigation suggests that he was tortured and pushed or thrown in the lake. "We are not accusing anyone officially right now, but we need [an] investigation to identify the criminal," Qutb added.

Two police officers are currently being tried in connection to the incident. Previously, members of the same police department were implicated in the death of another young man, 28-year-old Khaled Said.

While witnesses claim Said was forced out of an Internet cafe before being beaten to death, authorities said he died after choking when he tried to swallow a pack of drugs.

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