From: ai-news@amnesty.org
Subject: Egypt: Amnesty International condemns assault on one of its staff members
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Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 21:05:20 +0000
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* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International *

16 November 2000
MDE 12/036/2000
218/00


Vincent Del Buono, Deputy Secretary General of  Amnesty
International, today wrote to the Egyptian authorities to express
the organization's grave concerns about the assault on Carsten
Jurgensen, an Amnesty International's staff member who was on a
routine fact-finding mission researching on the organization's
human rights concerns in Egypt.

     On 14 November, Carsten Jurgensen who works at Amnesty
International's International Secretariat in London, visited the
polling station of the Khalid Ben al-Walid school in the
parliamentary election district of Shubra al-Khaima / Da'irat
al-Ula where allegations of human rights violations, including
arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment, had been reported. When
trying to enter the area around the polling station, he found
that the entire area was blocked by security officers. He clearly
identified himself as an Amnesty International delegate to one of
the plainclothes state security officers and was allowed access
to the area.

     Once he gained access to the area, Mr Jurgensen was
approached by approximately four plainclothes men asking him to
hand over his video camera. When he refused to hand over the
camera about seven men in plainclothes, who refused to identify
themselves, dragged him off to a side road. He  was then pushed
to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked in the head and
shoulders. His belongings, including the video camera, were
initially seized but were later returned to him with the
exception of his mobile phone, video tape and camera film. He
asked to talk to a senior officer to report the attack but to no
avail.

     Given that the area around the Khalid Ben al-Walid school
was sealed and that there was a large and visible police
presence, Amnesty International fears that the attack against
Carsten Jurgensen may have been carried out by security officers
or with their complicity.

     The ill-treatment of Carsten Jurgensen is part of a wider
pattern of harassment and attacks, particularly on journalists
covering the elections. A number of civilians including children
have reportedly been killed and dozens injured by members of the
security forces.

     "We urgently call on the Egyptian authorities to conduct
a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into these events,
including the attack on Carsten Jurgensen, and to bring those
responsible to justice," Vincent Del Buono said.


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