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Egyptian policeman accused of sexually assaulting mentally ill woman

The alleged attack took place while the girl was being detained

Antonia Molloy
Thursday 25 September 2014 05:23 EDT
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Police brutality in Egypt remains a major concern
Police brutality in Egypt remains a major concern (AFP/Getty)

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An Egyptian policeman has been accused of sexually assaulting a mentally ill woman while she was being detained.

The alleged attack took place at a police station in Giza in August and the accused has now been referred to the criminal court by Egypt’s prosecutor-general, Hisham Barakat.

The Cairo Post reported that the girl had been held in custody after two unidentified people attempted to kidnap her on a TukTuk. The would-be abductors were apprehended by passers-by, who reported the incident to the police.

The young woman was held while an investigation was carried out; she was allegedly assaulted when the accused policeman called on her to make a statement.

Two women sharing a cell with her supported her testimony, while the policeman is said to have denied the allegations.

The alleged victim is 16-years-old and the police man is 40, according to Ahram Online.

Egypt’s interior ministry said in a statement: “Tough measures must be taken against the policeman in the case that the incident actually happened.”

Police brutality in Egypt remains a major concern. Last year it was reported that hundreds of children had been illegally detained and in many cases tortured by the Egyptian police following the protests which erupted after the second anniversary of the 2011 uprising.

And rights groups have said that detainees are subject to cruel mistreatment, including beatings, electrocution and “hanging” torture.

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