On 27 April 2010, Alkarama sent his case to the Special Rapporteur on Torture requesting an investigation by the Egyptian authorities into the alleged torture, in order to determine who was responsibile and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Salah Mohamed El Sanussi Mahmoud, 28, is a shoe-maker from Al-Qalioubiya. He was arrested by local police officers on 29 March 2009 at "Kashra", a restaurant in the Al-Khidyawi district of Shobra in Cairo. According to witnesses, an officer named Mustafa Lutfi allegedly ordered El Sanussi's arrest following a verbal altercation. He was then taken to Shobra Al-Khayma police station, where he was held for six months without ever being subject to any legal procedures. According to El Sanussi Mahmoud's testimony, officer Mustafa Lutfi repeatedly subjected him to serious acts of torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment while in incarcerated at the police station.
Salah El Sanussi Mahmoud was allegedly stripped naked in front of other inmates, hung upside down, brutally beaten on all parts of his body, burned with cigarettes and subjected to electric shocks on his chest as well as other sensitive parts of his body. He was allegedly forced to eat like an animal and clean the toilets and kept for several days with his feet and hands tied.
To justify his illegal detention, Salah El Sanussi Mahmoud was accused of drug trafficking and presented before the Cairo's Criminal Court on 4 November 2009 on this charge. The court however acquitted him of the charged and ordered his release after finding that there was no evidence to support the charge levelled against him.
Instead of being freed, Salah El Sanussi Mahmoud was taken back to Shobra police station by officer Mustafa Al-Lutfi who illegal kept him in custody.
As as now become commonplace in Egypt, Mustafa Al-Lutfi requested permission from the Interior Ministry to Salah El Sanussi Mahmoud under administrative detention on the grounds that his release would constitute a danger to public safety. The Interior Minister granted the request and issued an administrative detention order on 25 November 2009, without ever considering the acquittal made by the Criminal Court.
The victim's mother lodged an appeal before the Cairo Criminal Court challenging the detention order. The detention order was subsequently revoked and the court requested an acquittal.
Despite the acquittal, the Minister of the Interior sent out a new detention order on 5 April 2010, and Salah El Sanussi Mahmoud was then transferred to the Burj Al-Arab prison on 17 April, where he is currently being held. Following the transfer, Salah El Sanussi Mahmoud's mother was allowed to visit him and she found evidence of the torture.
The victim's mother contacted the Attorney General in Cairo, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior to request her son's release, pursuant to the court's order, and to seek an end to the torture which he continues to suffer in detention.
These practices have tended to spread and perpetuate themselves because of the almost total impunity afforded to the perpetrators by the Egyptian authorities. The usage of administrative detention for prolonging illegal arrests proves the Egyptian authorities continued ignorance towards their international obligations to human rights law.