Egypt condemns HRW report on secret detention

Egypt has rejected as "lies" a report issued by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on alleged secret detentions of scores of people.

"The report comes as part of a series of lies promoted by the organization through its reports and data," an Egyptian official source said.

The source said that the report confirms the US-based group's prejudice and intention to defame Egypt's image and embarrass it.

"The report was based on undocumented sources that did not provide true information or data on the issues it tackled" the source said.

"The organization deliberately published names it claimed they forcibly disappeared or were in detention, which is not true at all," the source added.

"Most of these names are convicted in criminal cases or held pending trials in cases which are being heard by courts," the source pointed out.

The source denied the allegations of the organizations that there are detention orders issued by the Egyptian authorities after the emergency law was cancelled.

The sources pointed out that, Asmaa Khalaf, which was mentioned in the report, is not wanted in any criminal cases or for investigations. "She had disappeared voluntarily due to family disputes."

As for Israa El Taweel, a Cairo University student, the source said she is imprisoned pending case no. 485 of 2015.

The source added that el Sayyed Mohamed Ali Abdel Rahman is a member of a terrorist Muslim Brotherhood (MB) committee and faces charges in case no. 370 of 2015.

The source went on saying that Islam Atito is a member of a Brotherhood committee that was involved in the assassination of a police officer.

"Attito was holed up in a desert route and was killed in fire exchange with security forces on May 20, 2015," the source said.

"The report raises questions of the intentions of the Human Rights Watch and undermines the credibility of the organization," the source stressed.