July 26, 2013. Anti-coup demonstrators at Rabaa Al-Adaweya square. AA/ABACA/Press Association Images. All rights reserved.Human Rights Watch recently published a report exposing the use of “systematic torture” by Egyptian security forces. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of sexual violence, electric shocks and stress positions. Sadly, the report confirms what is already common knowledge amongst the vast majority of Egyptians.
What is novel in this report is that it affirms the use of torture as a matter of deliberate state policy, and that these wide spread abuses by security forces are condoned by President Sisi. Soon after the report was published, Human Rights Watch joined the list of websites blocked in Egypt, which now exceed 400 sites.
Prisons in Egypt now host an estimated 60,000 political prisoners. It appears the regime plans to maintain or increase this number, as thirteen new prisons are currently being constructed to host what the NY Times dubbed “Generation Jail”.
