Egyptian officer: The Palestinian detainees subjected to exceptional torture

[ 19/05/2010 - 10:59 AM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)-- An Egyptian state security officer said, on condition of anonymity, that the Palestinian prisoners in Egyptian jails are exposed to unprecedented special torture and are living in harsher incarceration conditions compared to other detainees.

The officer told Quds Press that the Egyptian state security focuses during interrogation with Palestinians on the organizational structure of Hamas Movement and the whereabouts of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

He affirmed that the brother of Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri was executed in torture cellars of the state security in Cairo.

The officer explained further that the Palestinian detainees are locked up in solitary cells called “stores” situated between the wards of Egyptian criminals and convicts, who are often murderers or drug dealers.

The officer added that the Egyptian criminals receive good treatment compared to the Palestinian detainees who are isolated from the outside world and placed in completely dark, narrow, wet and dirty cells, even the jailers cannot stay there for a few minutes due to foul smell.

In addition to the physical torture, the Palestinian detainees are forced during interrogation sessions to perform their prayers completely naked, according to the officer.

In another context, a US military delegation including state department officials paid a visit to Karam Abu Salem crossing and the Rafah border area and inspected the iron wall being built along the borderline with Gaza.

Addustour newspaper issued in Cairo said that senior Egyptian security officials received the delegation, adding that there were no meetings between the two sides.

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