"...We demand a real guarantee that the trial will be fair," the message continues, "we want to be examined by a non-governmental medical committee to examine the major physical harms, the evidence of which continues to show on our bodies 10 months after the torture."
This statement comes in the build-up to their hearing before the Emergency State Security Court. Due to appear before this exceptional court on 21 November 2009, the detainees fear that the main part of the evidence used against them will be from the false confessions extracted as a result of the torture described above. The message further states that court orders for release had been issued for a number of these individuals, however the authorities failed to comply with these authorities.
When they were presented before the court on 26 July 2009 to announce the transferal of their case before the Supreme State Security Court, the defendants notified the court of their incommunicado detention and of multiple incidences of serious torture but the court failed to take any action to investigate these allegations. According to the defendants, prior to appearing in court, they were threatened with further torture if they did not confirm the story given by the authorities.
Below are the names of the 22 individuals arrested between December 2008 and April 2009 as part of a group of 49 individuals accused of belonging to the Lebanese Shi'ite movement, Hezbollah. These 22 individuals were referred to the Emergency State Security court on 26 July 2009:
1. Mohamed Yousef Ahmed Mansour (known as Sami Shihab) (محمد يوسف أحمد منصور [سامى شهاب]), 38 years old Lebanese national. He lives in Ala Dokki, Giza governorate.
2. Nasser Khalil Moammar Abu Omra (ناصر خليل معمر أبو عمره), 33 years old, is a sculptor of Palestinian nationality. He usually resides in Karam Abu Najela Neighbourhood, North Sinai governorate.
3. Namr Fahmi Mohamed Namr Tawil (نمر فهمى محمد نمر الطويل), 33 years old, is a driver of Palestinian nationality. He usually resides in Downtown al-Arish, North Sinai governorate.
4. Ehab Sayed Mohamed Mohamed Moussa (إيهاب السيد محمد محمد موسى), 33 years old, is a shopkeeper of Egyptian nationality. He lives in Port Said, Port Said governorate.
5. Ayman Mustafa Khalil Sheta (أيمن مصطفى خليل شتا), 42 years old, is an employee at al-Hadidi Office for financing vessels of Egyptian nationality. He lives in Port Said, Port Said governorate.
6. Nasser Jibril Abdelatif Jibril (نصار جبريل عبد اللطيف جبريل), 32 years old, is of Palestinian origin and who lives in al-Arish, North Sinai governorate.
7. Hassan Sayed Sayed al Manakhili (حسن السيد السيد المناخلى), 57 years old, is a Garment trader of Egyptian nationality. He lives in al-Kitamia, Hilwan province.
8. Adel Salman Moussa Muslim Abu Omra (عادل سلمان موسى مسلم أبو عمره), 32 years old, is a worker of Egyptian nationality. He lives in al-Arish, North Sinai governorate.
9. Mohamed Ali Wafa Abdelhamid (محمد على وفا عبد الحميد), 23 years old, of Egyptian nationality, is an employee at Al Salam International hospital. He lives in Bulak Dakrour, Giza governorate.
10. Muslim Ismail Muslim Hassan (مسلم إسماعيل مسلم حسن), 30 years old, is a driver of Egyptian nationality. He lives in al-Arish, North Sinai governorate.
11. Mohamed Abdelfatah Mustafa Shalabi (محمد عبد الفتاح مصطفى شلبى), 46 years old, is a fisherman of Egyptian nationality. He lives in Port Said, Port Said governorate.
12. Ehab Abdelhadi Mohamed al-Kalioubi (إيهاب عبد الهادى محمد القليوبى), 30 years old, is a worker of Egyptian nationality. He lives in North Sinai governorate.
13. Khater Abdullah Mukhtar al-Nour (خاطر عبد الله مختار النور), 36 years old, is a garment trader of Sudanese nationality. He lives in Nasr City, Cairo.
14. Ibrahim Esam Saad Mohamed (إبراهيم عصام سعد محمد), 21 years old, is a driver of Egyptian nationality. He lives in Bulak Dakrour, Giza governorate.
15. Hani Sayed Mutlek Ali Mohsen (هانى السيد مطلق على محسن), 29 years old, is a worker of Egyptian nationality. He usually lives in the old town of Al Arish, North Sinai governorate.
16. Mussad Abderrahman Mohamed al-Sharif (مسعد عبد الرحمن محمد الشريف), 44 years old, is an equipment repair technician. He usually resides in al-Zohour, Port Said governorate.
17. Ehab Ahmed Ahmed Hassan Ismail (إيهاب أحمد أحمد حسن إسماعيل), 44 years old, is a broker of Egyptian nationality. He lives in al-Dawahl neighborhood, North Sinai governorate.
18. Shahin Mohammed Shahin Mohamed (شاهين محمد شاهين محمد), 45 years old, is a driver of Egyptian nationality. He lives in Bulak Dakrour, Al Giza governorate.
19. Hussein Mohamed Hussein Khalifa (حسين محمد حسين خليفه), 26 years old, is a shipping agent of Egyptian nationality. He lives in Bulak, Cairo.
20. Salman Kamel Hamdane Radwan (سلمان كامل حمدان رضوان), 30 years old, is a student at the faculty of Medicine of Egyptian Nationality. He usually lives on Salah Eddine Avenue, Rafah, North Sinai Governorate.
21. Nidal Hassan Fathi Hassan Jawda (نضال فتحى حسن جوده), 19 years old, is a Palestinian who usually resides in Gaza, Palestine
22. Mohamed Ramadan Abdelraouf Bikr (محمد رمضان عبد الرؤوف بكر), 17 years old, is a Palestinian who usually resides in Gaza, Palestine.
We are informed that the next hearing will take place on 21 November 2009. This is not the final hearing, but the court will be considering evidence against the detainees which the accused claim is mainly made up from confessions made under torture.
Due to the severity and seriousness of the detainees' situation, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on Torture on 16 November 2009 asking him to intervene with the Egyptian government in order that there an independent investigation be made into the allegations of torture, including medical examinations by an independent medical team.
The authorities' repression of such groups can be seen as part of a growing trend of mass arrests of leaders and supporters of opposition parties, in the build-up to the 2010 Parliamentary elections.