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| Egyptian protester dies after suspected police torture | Egyptian protester dies after suspected police torture |
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| An Egyptian protester has died after allegedly being beaten and strangled for four days by police, just days after another high-profile case of alleged police brutality, strengthening fears among the opposition that Egypt's new democratically elected government has as little respect for human rights as the dictatorship it replaced. | An Egyptian protester has died after allegedly being beaten and strangled for four days by police, just days after another high-profile case of alleged police brutality, strengthening fears among the opposition that Egypt's new democratically elected government has as little respect for human rights as the dictatorship it replaced. |
| According to official hospital records, Mohamed el-Guindy died on Monday as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash. But activists allege that Guindy, a 28-year-old activist arrested following protests in Tahrir Square on 27 January, was left in a coma by police after officers took him to a police camp, strangled him with a cord and beat him until his ribs and jaw cracked – before abandoning him at a hospital in central Cairo on 31 January. | According to official hospital records, Mohamed el-Guindy died on Monday as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash. But activists allege that Guindy, a 28-year-old activist arrested following protests in Tahrir Square on 27 January, was left in a coma by police after officers took him to a police camp, strangled him with a cord and beat him until his ribs and jaw cracked – before abandoning him at a hospital in central Cairo on 31 January. |
| "You couldn't recognise his face from a photograph, it was so swollen," said Islam Khalifa, a human rights lawyer investigating Guindy's death, who visited him in hospital before he died. "It was horrible." | "You couldn't recognise his face from a photograph, it was so swollen," said Islam Khalifa, a human rights lawyer investigating Guindy's death, who visited him in hospital before he died. "It was horrible." |
| According to Hossam Bahgat, the director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Guindy even suffered injuries to his tongue. | According to Hossam Bahgat, the director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Guindy even suffered injuries to his tongue. |
| The case has drawn comparisons with that of Khaled Said, an opposition activist tortured and killed under Hosni Mubarak, whose death was a contributing factor to the protests that led to the 2011 revolution. | The case has drawn comparisons with that of Khaled Said, an opposition activist tortured and killed under Hosni Mubarak, whose death was a contributing factor to the protests that led to the 2011 revolution. |
| Guindy's case follows that of Hamada Saber, a 50-year-old labourer who was filmed being stripped naked, dragged across a road and beaten by eight riot police during protests outside Cairo's presidential palace on Friday. | Guindy's case follows that of Hamada Saber, a 50-year-old labourer who was filmed being stripped naked, dragged across a road and beaten by eight riot police during protests outside Cairo's presidential palace on Friday. |
| The president, Mohamed Morsi, has announced an investigation into Guindy's death, and the interior minister has personally apologised for Saber's treatment. | The president, Mohamed Morsi, has announced an investigation into Guindy's death, and the interior minister has personally apologised for Saber's treatment. |
| But the two cases have renewed concerns that Morsi – who became Egypt's first democratically elected president in June – is not serious about police reform, a key demand of the 2011 revolution that toppled Mubarak. No police officer has been punished for the deaths of around 800 protesters killed during the uprising. | But the two cases have renewed concerns that Morsi – who became Egypt's first democratically elected president in June – is not serious about police reform, a key demand of the 2011 revolution that toppled Mubarak. No police officer has been punished for the deaths of around 800 protesters killed during the uprising. |
| "When it comes to human rights, things have gone from bad to worse," argued Khalifa, a member of the Protest Defence Group, a voluntary organisation that campaigns for the rights of protesters. "We reckon this is one of a pattern to make an example of protesters and to break the spirit of the people." | "When it comes to human rights, things have gone from bad to worse," argued Khalifa, a member of the Protest Defence Group, a voluntary organisation that campaigns for the rights of protesters. "We reckon this is one of a pattern to make an example of protesters and to break the spirit of the people." |
| Khalifa also fears that there may be more protesters being tortured. "Mohamed el-Guindy's case is the one in the public eye, but there may be hundreds more inside these camps," he said. | Khalifa also fears that there may be more protesters being tortured. "Mohamed el-Guindy's case is the one in the public eye, but there may be hundreds more inside these camps," he said. |
| Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood itself suffered years of police repression before coming to power, while Morsi was elected last June on a platform of police accountability, a process that his allies argue will take time. | Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood itself suffered years of police repression before coming to power, while Morsi was elected last June on a platform of police accountability, a process that his allies argue will take time. |
| But human rights campaigners say that Morsi has so far shown little desire to follow through on his electoral promises – perhaps through a desire to avoid a police mutiny. Since the fall of Mubarak, the police force has at times failed to maintain a presence on the streets, while it is understood that members of the Freedom and Justice party – the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood – feel that the police are reluctant to protect them against attack. | But human rights campaigners say that Morsi has so far shown little desire to follow through on his electoral promises – perhaps through a desire to avoid a police mutiny. Since the fall of Mubarak, the police force has at times failed to maintain a presence on the streets, while it is understood that members of the Freedom and Justice party – the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood – feel that the police are reluctant to protect them against attack. |
| Hundreds of people attended Guindy's funeral on Monday at a mosque near Tahrir Square, and mourners later clashed with police as the funeral procession moved down the banks of the Nile. | Hundreds of people attended Guindy's funeral on Monday at a mosque near Tahrir Square, and mourners later clashed with police as the funeral procession moved down the banks of the Nile. |
| Guindy was arrested during a week of civil unrest sparked by protests against Morsi's presidency that left nearly 60 dead and more than 1,000 injured across Egypt. | Guindy was arrested during a week of civil unrest sparked by protests against Morsi's presidency that left nearly 60 dead and more than 1,000 injured across Egypt. |
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