Amnesty International
30 April 2010
"Amnesty International has called for a retrial by a regular court of 26 men jailed by an Egyptian emergency court for their alleged links to the Lebanese group, Hizbullah amid allegations of torture.
The special court on Wednesday sentenced the men – who included Lebanese, Palestinians, Egyptians and one Sudanese – to jail terms ranging from six months to life.
Their conviction was based on "confessions" which the defendants say were obtained under torture.
"These men should be retried by an ordinary court which gives them a chance of getting a fair trial," said Amnesty International. "Bypassing justice by referring sensitive cases to emergency courts undermines the criminal justice system and encourages human rights abuses.".
Emergency Supreme State Security Courts (ESSSCs), which were established under emergency legislation introduced in 1958, flout basic guarantees for fair trial and deny defendants the right to appeal. They are also known to rely on "confessions" extracted under torture to secure convictions.....
The ESSSC has failed to order an independent and impartial investigation into the defendants’ allegations of torture and other ill-treatment. Instead, it relied on their “confessions” to convict them.
"This trial leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. The defendants complained of torture and this was brushed off, they were denied an adequate defence, and tried by a special court whose decisions cannot be appealed before a higher tribunal. Convictions after unfair trials can only entrench injustice," said Amnesty International....."
30 April 2010
"Amnesty International has called for a retrial by a regular court of 26 men jailed by an Egyptian emergency court for their alleged links to the Lebanese group, Hizbullah amid allegations of torture.
The special court on Wednesday sentenced the men – who included Lebanese, Palestinians, Egyptians and one Sudanese – to jail terms ranging from six months to life.
Their conviction was based on "confessions" which the defendants say were obtained under torture.
"These men should be retried by an ordinary court which gives them a chance of getting a fair trial," said Amnesty International. "Bypassing justice by referring sensitive cases to emergency courts undermines the criminal justice system and encourages human rights abuses.".
Emergency Supreme State Security Courts (ESSSCs), which were established under emergency legislation introduced in 1958, flout basic guarantees for fair trial and deny defendants the right to appeal. They are also known to rely on "confessions" extracted under torture to secure convictions.....
The ESSSC has failed to order an independent and impartial investigation into the defendants’ allegations of torture and other ill-treatment. Instead, it relied on their “confessions” to convict them.
"This trial leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. The defendants complained of torture and this was brushed off, they were denied an adequate defence, and tried by a special court whose decisions cannot be appealed before a higher tribunal. Convictions after unfair trials can only entrench injustice," said Amnesty International....."
No comments:
Post a Comment