3 police jailed, 5 released on bail over death of detainee

Egypt’s prosecutor ordered the continued detention of three police officers and release on bail of five others late Saturday night in connection with the Tuesday death of a citizen in police custody.

The charges concern Abbasseya resident Hussein Farghaly, who died following an altercation with police. Prosecutors are investigating accusations that police used excessive force and beat Farghaly to death.

According to a Saturday statement from the Ministry of Interior, police from the Waily police station were called Tuesday night to intervene in a landlord-tenant dispute.

According to the ministry's account, landlord Wael Gouda called local police to report that his brother, Ayman Gouda, had been unlawfully detained by tenant Hussein Farghaly after an argument about the rent price. When police arrived, they succeeded in freeing Ayman Gouda, but ended up in an altercation with Farghaly and other tenants, the statement said.

Farghaly was injured in the scuffle and a police vehicle damaged, the Ministry added. When he was taken into custody, Farghaly complained of feeling faint and suffering from bruises, and was immediately transferred to nearby Dar al-Shifa hospital, where, “God rest his soul,” he died.

Amateur videos circulated on social media claiming to show the police administering a severe beating to Farghaly, although they cannot be verified and individuals in the recording cannot be identified. Activists have also circulated what appears to be a report from Dar al-Shifa hospital, saying Farghaly died before arriving at the hospital, having suffered a heart attack, head injuries and wounds on his back, arms, legs and abdomen.

Farghaly’s death comes amid mounting tension over police brutality. Last month, a policeman was sentenced to life in prison for killing a 24-year-old driver during an altercation over a fare. The officer was speedily tried after thousands of local residents protested for two days in front of Cairo Security Directorate, chanting against the police and the government. Another officer was detained after being accused of shooting and killing a tea seller in New Cairo .

In November 2015, protests erupted in Luxor and Ismailia after detainees were tortured to death in police custody. Egypt has faced global scrutiny over the death of Italian researcher Guilio Regeni, whose body was found on February 3 bearing signs of torture. 

Also on Sunday, in a retrial of a case dating back to 2009, a New Cairo criminal court sentenced two police officers and a low-ranking policeman to three years in prison for beating a citizen to death in custody, according to the privately owned Al-Watan newspaper.