323/06 Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights &
INTERIGHTS v Egypt
Communication 323/06: Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and INTERIGHTS v Egypt
Summary of the Complaint
1. This Communication is brought by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and INTERIGHTS
(the Complainants) on behalf of Nawal 'Ali Mohamed Ahmed (the First Victim), 'Abir Al-'Askari (the Second
Victim), Shaimaa Abou Al-Kheir (the Third Victim) and Iman Taha Kamel (the Fourth Victim).
2. The Respondent State is the Arab Republic of Egypt (Egypt); a State Party to the African Charter on
Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter).1
3. The Complainants submit that on 25 May 2005, the Egyptian Movement for Change (Kefaya) organized
a demonstration in front of Saad Zaghloul Mausoleum with respect to the referendum aimed at amending
Article 76 of the Egyptian Constitution, allowing multi-candidate presidential elections. They submit that Riot
police surrounded the small number of protesters (around fifty) and several journalists reporting the events,
and at about 12:00 noon, while public buses were transporting young supporters of President Mubarak and
his party called the National Democratic Party (NDP), violence broke out as NDP supporters attacked the
supporters of Kefaya. The Complainants allege that Riot police reportedly did not intervene.
4. According to the Complainants, the protesters and the journalists covering the demonstration
reconvened in front of the Press Syndicate at around 2:00 PM where they were met by a large group of
Riot police and NDP supporters. They allege that further incidents of insults, violence, intimidation and
sexual harassment occurred in the presence of high ranking officers of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the
Riot police.
5. The Complainants state that the First Victim is a female journalist previously employed at Al Gil
Newspaper, in Cairo. They state that she was not reporting on the events in question or attending the
protest action, but was rather proceeding to the Press Syndicate in order to attend an English course. The
Complainants allege that she was however, attacked by a group of youth supporters of President Mubarak
and the NDP in response to an order from a police officer on the scene.
6. The Complainants allege that, the First Victim was pushed to the ground, her clothes torn, her private
parts fondled, and her bag and documents seized from her. According to the Complainants, she recognised
members of the NDP as her assailants. They allege that the police officers on the scene failed to intervene,
assist or prevent the assaults from taking place.
7. The Complainants further state that, she was then ordered by the Chief of the MoI Greater Cairo
Intelligence Unit, Ismai'l Al-Sha'ir, to leave the scene, and that she was unable to reclaim her alleged stolen
belongings.
8. The Complainants state that the First Victim was attended to at the Monira Hospital on 25 May 2005,
where a medical report indicated one large (10cm) scar, several smaller bruises on her chest, and visible
scratches on her legs and feet. It is further submitted by the Complainants that investigators refused to
record the statements made by eyewitness when she reported the incident on the same day. They also
state that the incident has left her emotionally traumatised as a result of the sexual violations and assaults
she incurred.
9. The Complainants also allege that the First Victim received threats from the State Security Intelligence
(SSI) officers to withdraw her complaint. They allege that her refusal to do so led to her dismissal from her
job at Al Gil Newspaper and divorce from her husband.
10. The Complainants state that the Second Victim, a female journalist at Al Doustour Newspaper, in Cairo,
was covering the events in her capacity as a journalist. They allege that she was hit in the face and
stomach during the demonstration whilst attempting to take photographs on the scene.
11. The Complainants allege that when the Second Victim tried to escape the scene, by getting into a taxi
with the Third Victim, the Chief of the Intelligence Unit of the Boulaq Abou Al-'Ela Police Station stopped
the taxi and an identified SSI officer forcefully dragged her out of the taxi, whilst hitting and kicking her. The
Second Victim claims, according to the Complainants, that the SSI officer ordered a group of female
supporters of the NDP to tear off her clothes and hit her. She also alleges that she was later dragged to the
main street (Ramsis Street) where security and police officers continued to hit, sexually assault, insult, and
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