Prosecution office refers two policemen to court over torture

CAIRO – 15 January 2018: South Cairo Prosecution office referred Monday two police officers to be tried before urgent criminal court on the charges of torturing a citizen to death inside Mokkatam police station in South of Cairo.

Mohammed Afroto, 22, was held in suspicion by police officers on January 5 for drugs related case. However, Afroto died while being detained by authorities, sparking a protest outside the police station then.

The Prosecution office's decision came after receiving the forensic report which revealed that the cause of death was an internal bleeding caused by a broken rib. Unlike what the police claimed, that Afroto’s death took place due to drugs overdose.

The prosecution office had ordered earlier on January 8 the detention of the two police officers, pending investigation into the death of Afroto, whose family and friends accused the police of torturing him to death.

After Afroto’s death clashes erupted between residents and police personnels outside Mokattam police station, shortly before being dispresed by security forces.