Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the allegations of torture and mistreatment of prisoners at the Azouli prison reported in The Guardian on 23 June; and whether they will make representations to the government of Egypt in relation to them.
Answered on
2 July 2014
Recent allegations of torture and mistreatment in Egyptian prisons are deeply worrying. A recent Amnesty International report suggests that up to 400 civilians are being held without charge at the Azouli prison, with no access to their lawyers or families.
The European Union made a statement on 19 June at the 26th Human Rights Council regarding the treatment of prisoners in Egypt. The statement expressed concern at the continued detention of thousands of Egyptian citizens, many of whom were detained on unclear grounds, and the conditions under which they are detained.
Representatives of our Embassy in Cairo raised the issue of Azouli prison with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 June. The British Government condemns the use of torture in all its forms and strongly urges the Egyptian authorities to ensure that all human and legal rights of all detainees are upheld.