Antécédents de l'affaire: Magda Adly
Le 17 février 2016, les autorités du district d'Azbakeyya ont ordonné la fermeture du Centre El-Nadeem pour la réhabilitation des victimes de violence et de torture, pour "violation des conditions de la licence".
Magda Adly est directrice du Centre El Nadeem et coordinatrice du programme de soutien aux femmes victimes de violences. Le Centre El Nadeem pour la réhabilitation des victimes de violence et de torture, créé en 1993, est la seule clinique spécialisée en Égypte qui se consacre au traitement des victimes de tortures et traumatismes. Il apporte un soutien et des ressources aux victimes de violences policières et sexuelles, ainsi qu'à leurs familles. Elle organise également des campagnes de sensibilisation et documente des cas de mauvais traitements, tortures et décès à l'intérieur des prisons et postes de police.
Le 17 février 2016, les autorités du district d'Azbakeyya ont ordonné la fermeture du Centre El-Nadeem pour la réhabilitation des victimes de violence et de torture, pour "violation des conditions de la licence".
Le Centre El Nadeem, basé au Caire, est une ONG égyptienne fondée en 1993 qui lutte contre la torture et soutient les victimes. Le centre fournit des soins médicaux aux victimes de torture, présente leurs affaires devant plusieurs institutions et publie des rapports résumés mensuels sur les cas de torture, décès et négligences médicales dans les postes de police en Égypte. L'ONG dirige aussi un programme contre les violences faites aux femmes, qui apporte une aide via deux lignes d'urgence 24h/24, et elle aide également les réfugiés.
Le 17 février 2016, des représentants du district d'Azbakeyya ont ordonné aux employés d'Al Nadeem de quitter les locaux dans lesquels se situent les bureaux au Caire, en vertu d'un ordre du directeur du Bureau pour les traitements gratuits du ministère de la Santé annonçant la fermeture du centre. L'ordre de fermeture administrative (35/2016) est basé sur une décision du ministère de la Santé, signé le 8 février 2016, pour avoir "enfreint les conditions de licence", et il a été approuvé par les autorités du district du Caire le 15 février 2016.
Un avocat du Centre El Nadeem, qui était présent dans les bureaux lorsque l'ordre de fermeture a été présenté, a convaincu la délégation du district d'Azbakeyya de reporter l'application de l'ordre en attendant une rencontre avec le ministère de la Santé pour discuter des raisons de cet ordre. Le lendemain, le centre a envoyé une lettre officielle au ministre de la Santé soulignant ses préoccupations, notamment l'absence d'une inspection préalable du centre conformément à l'article 11 de la loi 51 de 1981, l'absence de notification préalable de toute irrégularité constatée avant réception de l'ordre de fermeture, ainsi que l'absence de notification à propos de la fermeture administrative qui aurait permis au centre de faire appel. Le 20 février 2016, une plainte a été déposée par l'avocat du Centre devant le tribunal administratif de première instance, afin de suspendre l'application de l'ordre administratif.
Début février 2016, une inspection du centre El Nadeem a été menée par le ministère de la Santé, sans mandat d'inspection ni document officiel, après un ordre donné par le ministère. Aucune infraction de la licence du centre n'a été signalée lors de cette inspection.
Plusieurs ONG et associations, y compris le Syndicat des médecins d'Égypte, ont critiqué cette fermeture et ont fait part de leur soutien au Centre El Nadeem.
Front Line welcomes the sentencing of Mr Ahmed Anter Ebraheem to six year's imprisonment for physically assaulting human rights defender Dr Magda Adly. However, Front Line expresses concern that the police officer accused of ordering the attack, whose identity is known to Front Line, has not been charged. Magda Adly is a medical professional and the director of the El Nadim Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, an organisation that assists victims of torture and violence through research, training, counselling and raising public awareness.
On 28 March 2009, the Fifth Section of the Dhamanhur Criminal Court sentenced Ahmed Anter Ebraheem to six years' imprisonment for physically assaulting Magda Adly. Neither Ahmed Anter Ebraheem nor his lawyers attended the trial. Ahmed Anter Ebraheem, an employee of the Egypt's Central Security Apparatus, had been apprehended red-handed by the public at the time of the assault when he was claimed to be off duty. He claimed that he was acting under the instructions of a chief investigator at Kafr El Dawwar police station. His family told members of the El Nadim Centre that he had been summoned to Kafr El Dawwar police station and ordered to hit Magda Adly and rob her bag. He was reportedly threatened with criminal charges if he refused to follow these instructions. He and his sister, who testified in support of the claims of his family before the prosecutor, had reportedly been detained at Kafr El Dawwar police station previously. Since the attack, there have been many delays in the case and the prosecutor has been changed many times.
Whilst Ahmed Anter Ebraheem has been sentenced to six years' imprisonment, the officer from the Kafr El Dawwar police force who allegedly ordered the assault and has also been accused in other torture cases was reportedly transferred to the central police magistrate in what appears to be a promotion. No charges have been brought against him although Magda Adly has filed a civil lawsuit against him for planning the assault.
The assault took place on 30 April 2008 in Kafr El Dawwar in the district of Beheira. After having testified in favour of detainees who had reportedly been tortured by intelligence officers of the Kafr El Dawwar police force, Magda Adly became the victim of a knife attack. The attacker robbed Magda Adly's handbag and assaulted her severely in the presence of many people, including the head of intelligence of the Kafr El Dawwar police force. Magda Adly's shoulder was broken, she suffered head injuries, and she lost consciousness for 30 minutes. Despite this, she was interrogated for four hours on the day of the incident by the prosecutor. Meanwhile, the confession of her attacker was not registered. The handbag which was robbed reportedly contained evidence relating to her case. The car of Dr Mona Hamdy, a psychiatrist at the El Nadim Centre, which had been parked outside the building, was also vandalised.
Front Line believes that the attack and mugging against Magda Adly was related to her legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular her work to defend the rights of victims of torture. Front Line is concerned that the case has not been thoroughly investigated and that officials involved in the assault and possible acts of torture have not faced charges.
On 30 April 2008, Dr Magda Adly was reportedly attacked with a knife by a police officer in a courtroom in Kafr El Dawwar, in the district of Beheira, while she attended the hearing of Sobhy Mohamed Hussein and his sons Ahmed and Mohamed. She had visited them in police custody the previous day where she observed that they had been subject to torture. In addition, the members of their family had given her their blood-stained clothes testifying to physical abuse at the time of their arrest. Dr Magda Adly presented these clothes to the judge during the hearing.
Dr Magda Adly was attacked by a police officer as she left the courtroom. She suffered a broken shoulder in the attack, as well as injuries to the head and she lost consciousness for thirty minutes. The police officer then attempted to escape but was prevented and taken into custody. He later admitted that he was following the orders of Ahmed Maklad, an intelligence officer who was implicated in the allegations of torture and ill-treatment against the three men. The hearing established that the detention order against Sobhy Mohamed Hussein and his sons would be extended. Mostafa Hussein, a psychiatrist at the El Nadim Centre, believes that the arrest and torture of Sobhy Mohamed Hussein and his sons, in particular Ahmed Mohamed Hussein, may be related to their refusal to work as informers for the police.
During the hearing, the car of Dr Mona Hamdy, another psychiatrist at the El Nadim Centre, which was parked outside the courtroom, was vandalised.
Front Line believes that the attack against Dr Magda Adly is related to her legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular her work to defend the rights of victims of violence and torture. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Magda Adly, as well as that of all members of the El Nadim Centre.
