'UN must probe Egypt torture'

2004-05-27 10:04

New York - Human Rights Watch on Wednesday urged a UN investigation into allegations that two suspected Egyptian extremists expelled from Sweden to Egypt were tortured in their home country.

The case must be investigated, or it would send "yet another signal that when it comes to the war on terror, anything goes including torture," the New York-based rights group said in a statement calling for the participation of the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Sweden came under fire last week over revelations that US agents were probably involved in its deportation in December 2001 of Ahmed Agiza and Mohammed al Zery to Egypt, where they were allegedly tortured.

Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds called for an international probe last week, telling Swedish radio an independent, international investigation was necessary.

A Swedish TV4 documentary last week quoted witnesses as saying Swedish police handed the two men over to "US agents wearing balaclavas."

Several people told the channel Agiza that al Zery had been tortured in detention in Egypt. TV4 said classified reports showed Sweden had been notified.

Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch had taken both Egypt and Sweden to task over the trial and treatment of Agiza, saying his conviction by a military court in Cairo last month violated fair standards and failed to address his complaints that he had been tortured.

Sweden has claimed that when it deported Agisa and Al Zery it received assurances from Egypt the pair would not be tortured or condemned to death.

- AFP