Press release
Cairo:24/3/2003

A Breach of the Egyptian Constitution: State Security Prosecutors Imprison Members of the People’s Assembly Hamdin Sabbahi and Mohamad Farid Hassenein

            State Security Prosecutors (SSP) decided yesterday to imprison two members of the People’s Assembly: Hamdin Sabbahi and Mohamad Farid Hassanein for fifteen days pending investigation.  This action came as security forces started a harsh campaign to confront anti-war demonstrators.  In addition, SSP summoned 25 other persons to be interrogated (attached are their names).  Interestingly, some of those 25 people have already been arrested and are currently in pre-trial detention.  Others did not participate in demonstrations and one is not even in Egypt at this time.  SSP began investigating the aforementioned members of the People’s Assembly and eventually extended their investigations to other anti-war protestors.  Member Hassanein is currently being kept under guard in hospital as he was injured by security forces.  Member Hamdin was arrested an interrogated after being charged with the following:

• Heading a group whose goal was to violate laws aimed at allowing public authorities to attend to their duties in addition to disturbing the peace;

• Participating, along with others, in an assembly meant to attack private as well as public properties in addition to attacking foreign agent buildings in Egypt through the use of force and violence;

• Participating, also with others, in using cruel and violent tactics against public servants from policemen to police-soldiers (whose job it was to secure the assembly).  They sought to prevent those public servants from doing their duties and ultimately lead to the injury of policemen;

• Participating with others in intentionally damaging public monies and properties such as a private car (number 73737 in Cairo), a motorbike (number 52162 in Cairo, which belonged to Cairo Traffic authorities);

• Participating with others in damaging private properties including breaking the glass of an entrance of the Nile Hilton Hotel;

• Participating with others in inciting people to attack the American Embassy in Cairo

EOHR is stunned to hear that security apparatus presented a report (in the form of a memorandum) indicating that People’s Assembly Member Hamdin Sabbahi was arrested while committing the above-mentioned crimes.  His lawyer, Mr. Mohamed Moneib, said there had previously been an arrest warrant issued for his client by State Security prosecutors for the day the crimes were committed.  Such information raises doubts as to legality and credibility of the charges pressed against him, his arrest and his detention, all of which breach Article 99 of the Egyptian Constitution.  It states in relevant part:

“No member of the People’s Assembly shall be subjected to criminal prosecution without the permission of the assembly…”

Also noteworthy is that Security Forces arrested Hamdin Sabahi at his home at

4:15 p.m., March 21, 2003.  EOHR received the information that police who were dressed in plain clothing arrested and took him into a private car, all of which raises doubts as to his arrest.  Both members of the People’s Assembly were beaten severely by policemen at demonstrations on March 21, 2003.  Mr. Sabbahi requested that the Ministry of the Interior begin investigating allegations of police brutality during anti-war protest.  EOHR learned that Mr. Sabbahi refused to be interrogated and cited his diplomatic immunity as his reason why. 

            EOHR believes that the arrest and detention of the two members of the People’s Assembly is a gross breach of the Egyptian Constitution which may influence the human rights situation in Egypt.  At this crucial moment, EOHR calls upon the government to immediately release all detainees as well as to investigate the acts of security forces used against demonstrators.  Lastly, we urge the government to investigate allegations of torture used against those arrested.

            Below are names of others who requested to be presented before state prosecution: