Egypt: 14 Year Old Arrested while Buying Flour at Local Store
According to Alkarama's sources, Hossam Raif Ahmed Al-Teky, a resident of Qena governorate, was buying flour at the local store when security officers from the Dishna police investigative bureau entered the shop - arresting Hossam and the shop owner.
Hossam was arrested before police had even questioned the shop owner. The authorities did however eventually detain the shop owner on charges of arms trafficking, with the intention of presenting his case to the prosecutor general's office.
Shortly thereafter police released the shop owner, after receiving his bail guarantee. Dishna police have still not released Hossam, as he remains in custody without charge or any legal basis for his detention.
This is a serious violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Egypt on 6 July 1990. Article 2 of the Convention states that "States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination"; as indicated in Article 37, "No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment"; while Article 40, regarding juvenile justice, states that "every child alleged as, accused of, or recognized as having infringed the penal law to be treated in a manner consistent with the promotion of the child's sense of dignity and worth."
Alkarama expresses its deepest concerns for Hossam's current situation, as he could very possibly be exposed to abuse and verbal or physical assault, while in the custody of the Dishna police forces.
Alkarama calls on the Egyptian government to quickly intervene for Hossam's release and to investigate the incident in order to punish those responsible for violating both Egypt's domestic laws and its obligations to international human rights law.