WATANI International
28 February 2010
Last Wednesday, the public prosecutor ordered the release of the 19 detainees—15 of whom are young Coptic men and four Muslims—who were arrested and detained following the Nag Hammadi Christmas Eve crime last January. Six Copts and one Muslim had lost their lives in a drive-by shooting as the Christians left church after Midnight Mass.
A public stand of protest was conducted last Wednesday by the families of the detainees, their lawyers, and scores of human rights activists in front of the Supreme Court of Justice in Downtown Cairo. Some 150 persons took part in protesting against the detention of the young men who, they claim, were randomly rounded as they discharged common errands, and have not been charged with committing any violation. Most of the families claim they have not been allowed to visit their sons, while those who were claim their sons have been maltreated and, in a few cases, tortured.
Despite the swift positive response of the public prosecutor, Nabil Ghabrial and Saïd Fayez, both of whom are lawyers defending the detainees, were not overly optimistic. They were wary of the fact that the release order, which referred the investigation of the detainees’ cases to the security apparatus, may be blocked on security grounds.
The father of the detainee Bishoi Maher, 19, said that his son was detained as in Nag Hammadi on 9 January as he drove his motorbike on his way to his aunt’s house. “My son never took part in any demonstration,” the father said. “He has not been charged with any wrongdoing. I have not set eyes on him ever since he was detained; this is why I came all the way from Nag Hammadi to demand his release. Our family is living a tragedy since he was taken away.”
Peter Kyrillos was able to visit his brother Mina Boqtor Kyrillos, 22. Peter said Mina was caught as he arrived from Cairo to spend the Christmas vacation with his family in Nag Hammadi, and claims his brother has been tortured during his detention.
The father of another detainee, 25-year-old Emad Onsi Mufid, said his son was caught as he stood in a pharmacy close to their home, to buy an insulin shot for the father.