الرئيسية
CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian court on Tuesday ordered the country's
military rulers to stop the use of "virginity tests" on female
detainees, in a rare condemnation by a civilian tribunal of a military
practice that has caused an uproar among activists and rights groups.The
virginity test allegations first surfaced after a March 9 rally in
Cairo's Tahrir Square that turned violent when men in plainclothes
attacked protesters, and the army cleared the square by force. The
rights group Human Rights Watch said seven women were subjected to the
tests.
The ban came a week after public outrage over scenes of
soldiers dragging women protesters by the hair, stomping on them and
stripping one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on
activists.
"This is a case for all the women of Egypt, not only
mine," said Samira Ibrahim, 25, who was arrested and then spoke out
about her treatment.
Ibrahim filed two suits against the practice,
one demanding it be banned and another accusing an officer of sexual
assault. She was the only one to complain publicly about a practice that
can bring shame upon the victim in a conservative society.
A small group of women gathered outside the court building, holding banners. One said, "Women of Egypt are a red line."
The
three-judge panel said in its ruling that the virginity tests were "a
violation of women's rights and an aggression against their dignity."
The
ruling also said a member of the ruling military council admitted to
Amnesty International in June that the practice was carried out on
female detainees in March to protect the army against possible
allegations of rape, indicating it was an administrative order and not
an individual decision.
Because the military is also acting as a
police force, "it is the duty of the armed forces when carrying out
these duties to abide by the law and not violate its provisions when
dealing with citizens," the court ruling said.
The ruling "is
incredibly important not only because it comes after scenes of sexual
assault and battery of women by military troops," said Heba Morayef, an
Egypt researcher with Human Rights Watch. "It is also important because
it is the first time a civilian court acknowledged and criticized abuse
by the military."
At first the military denied administering
virginity tests. Then last week, the military prosecutor said one army
doctor is on trial for abuse. On Tuesday, after the court decision,
military prosecutor Adel el-Morsi said the tests are not condoned by the
military, calling the abuse "an individual behavior" that is before
courts.
Rights groups have said some officers have explained the
tests as a way to clear their names of possible charges of abuse by the
protesters. Women protesters said they were threatened with prostitution
charges before they were subjected to the tests.
military rulers to stop the use of "virginity tests" on female
detainees, in a rare condemnation by a civilian tribunal of a military
practice that has caused an uproar among activists and rights groups.The
virginity test allegations first surfaced after a March 9 rally in
Cairo's Tahrir Square that turned violent when men in plainclothes
attacked protesters, and the army cleared the square by force. The
rights group Human Rights Watch said seven women were subjected to the
tests.
The ban came a week after public outrage over scenes of
soldiers dragging women protesters by the hair, stomping on them and
stripping one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on
activists.
"This is a case for all the women of Egypt, not only
mine," said Samira Ibrahim, 25, who was arrested and then spoke out
about her treatment.
Ibrahim filed two suits against the practice,
one demanding it be banned and another accusing an officer of sexual
assault. She was the only one to complain publicly about a practice that
can bring shame upon the victim in a conservative society.
A small group of women gathered outside the court building, holding banners. One said, "Women of Egypt are a red line."
The
three-judge panel said in its ruling that the virginity tests were "a
violation of women's rights and an aggression against their dignity."
The
ruling also said a member of the ruling military council admitted to
Amnesty International in June that the practice was carried out on
female detainees in March to protect the army against possible
allegations of rape, indicating it was an administrative order and not
an individual decision.
Because the military is also acting as a
police force, "it is the duty of the armed forces when carrying out
these duties to abide by the law and not violate its provisions when
dealing with citizens," the court ruling said.
The ruling "is
incredibly important not only because it comes after scenes of sexual
assault and battery of women by military troops," said Heba Morayef, an
Egypt researcher with Human Rights Watch. "It is also important because
it is the first time a civilian court acknowledged and criticized abuse
by the military."
At first the military denied administering
virginity tests. Then last week, the military prosecutor said one army
doctor is on trial for abuse. On Tuesday, after the court decision,
military prosecutor Adel el-Morsi said the tests are not condoned by the
military, calling the abuse "an individual behavior" that is before
courts.
Rights groups have said some officers have explained the
tests as a way to clear their names of possible charges of abuse by the
protesters. Women protesters said they were threatened with prostitution
charges before they were subjected to the tests.