Egyptian teenager found dead with 'signs of torture' two days after arrest

Egyptian teenager found dead with 'signs of torture' two days after arrest
Egyptians demand answers after a Coptic teenager was found dead, bearing alleged signs of torture after being detained for two days.
2 min read
27 Jul, 2017
Tharwat Sameh's body was discovered two days after his arrest [Screenshot]


Shocking images showing the body of an Egyptian teenager with extreme "torture marks" have emerged, leading to further accusations of police brutality by human rights groups.

The body of 19-year-old Tharwat Sameh was discovered on a street the town of Fayyum, south of Cairo, on Monday, two days after he was arrested by police.

Pictures of Sameh's body show extensive bruising, burn marks and indications that he may have been whipped.

The images were shared on social media under the Arabic hashtag #Tharwat_Sameh, which spread quickly and led to demands for answers.

Sameh, a member of Egypt's minority Coptic Christian community, was detained on Saturday for questioning by local police.

The discovery of Sameh's body comes shortly after the death of 43-year-old Gamal Aweida, who was arrested on 17 July. Aweida's family was informed of his death just 15 hours after he was taken into custody.

It has not yet been clarified why both men were arrested.

Following Aweida's death, Amnesty International issued a statement calling for an immediate investigation.

"The evidence strongly suggests that Gamal Aweida was tortured to death by Egyptian police," a statement from the rights group said.

The deaths of both men have brought back chilling memories of the death of Italian student Gulio Regeni, whose body was discovered in Cairo 18 months ago.

Regeni's remains also bore the marks of torture, leading to a diplomatic fallout between Egypt and Italy.

Egyptian authorities initially claimed that Regeni had been killed in a road traffic accident, however, his family and rights groups have disputed this.

The exact cause and circumstances of Regeni's death remain unknown.