Amnesty International Secretary General Salil Shetty today met Major General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Head of the Military Intelligence Department and member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), and Deputy Prime Minister Yehia El Gamal at the end of his weeklong visit to Egypt.
Amnesty International welcomed positive steps such as the release of administrative detainees and called for an end to emergency legislation, military trials for civilians, and all forms of abuses in policing operations and detention, including forced virginity tests. Amnesty International also stressed the need for ensuring accountability for abuses.
Major General al-Sisi explained the need to change the culture of the security forces and gave assurances that instructions had been given not to use violence against demonstrators and to protect detainees against ill-treatment. He said virginity tests were carried out to protect the army against possible allegations of rape and added that the army does not intend to detain women again. Amnesty Ínternational opposes forced virginity tests under all circumstances.
Major General al-Sisi said people alleging abuses should complain to the military prosecutor and could also post their complaints on the SCAF Facebook page.
Major General al-Sisi also stressed the importance of ensuring social justice for all Egyptians, an aim shared by Amnesty International.
Deputy Prime Minister al-Gamal supported Amnesty International’s call for including human rights safeguards in a new Constitution and for providing compensation to victims of abuses during the uprising.