Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 5422 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
QA
YM YI YE

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06CAIRO3874, GOE PROSECUTES STATE SECURITY OFFICER ON TORTURE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06CAIRO3874.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06CAIRO3874 2006-06-21 15:03 2011-02-03 00:12 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Cairo
VZCZCXYZ0027
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #3874 1721538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211538Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9376
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS CAIRO 003874 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC STAFF FOR SINGH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM EG
SUBJECT: GOE PROSECUTES STATE SECURITY OFFICER ON TORTURE 
CHARGES 
 
REF: CAIRO 3270 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU)  In a notable break with past practice, GOE prosecutors have moved to prosecute a State Security officer on torture charges.  In recent years, there has been a modest trend of successful prosecutions of regular police officials on torture and abuse charges in Egyptian criminal courts. Personnel working for the State Security Investigative Services (SSIS), however, have not previously faced 
prosecution for abuse of detainees.  This has led Human Rights Watch and other respected observers to complain of "a culture of impunity" within the elite Egyptian security services regarding investigation, prosecution, and punishment of personnel for torture and abuse. 
 
2. (SBU)  According to recent media accounts, the prosecutor's office at the East Cairo Criminal Court has referred an SSIS captain, Ashraf Mostafa Hussein Safwat Abdul Qader, to trial for the alleged torture resulting in death of detainee Mohammed Abdul Qader El-Sayed.  According to press reports and materials published by human rights 
organizations, El-Sayed died on September 21, 2003, after being detained and interrogated by Captain Ashraf Mostafa starting on September 16.  El-Sayed's corpse bore marks consistent with torture, including severe bruising about the head and body and electrical burns on the genitals.  We do not know why El-Sayed was detained.  The first hearing in the prosecution of Captain Ashraf Mostafa on June 20, 2006 was  closed to all but SSIS officials. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Human rights activists have cautiously welcomed the GOE decision to prosecute, noting that previous attempts to prosecute SSIS officials for torture have not progressed beyond the investigation stage. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX termed the referral of the officer to trial as "very 
positive" and "unprecedented."  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX asserted that the case could have "huge" implications since an apparent de facto GOE ban on prosecuting SSIS officers has been broken.  Both activists agreed that the case merits close scrutiny in order to determine if the GOE is in fact considering a new, harder line against SSIS officers accused of torture.  Post will follow and report on significant developments in this case. 
RICCIARDONE