I did not blog about my summoning to the military tribunal coz this issue was already covered extensively in the mainstream and social media circles, and I did not have more to say about that day.
But just few quick points, since there are new developments:
– I went to the military prosecutor initially as an “accused” person and Rime Maged was a “witness,” based on a complaint from General Hamdi Badeen, the head of the military police, about my “torture allegations” against his men. The tone completely changed after roughly 20 mins into the conversation with General Adel el-Morsi, the head of the military judicial branch, and the situation became different: Rime and I were invited for “coffee and chat,” and I was asked to hand in whatever information I had on abuses by the military police to the military prosecutors to investigate.
– I made it clear when I appeared on Rime’s OnTV talk show, that my accusations against the military police were based on evidence already documented by local and international rights watchdogs, activists and is available online on several websites. Testimonies of the victims, I also explained on TV and during my “chat” with General Morsi, were already available on Youtube. Moreover, requests for investigating a number of these cases had already been filed to both the public and military prosecutor, but nothing ever came out.
– In all cases, we left the military prosecutor’s office, with a promise that the lawyers were to return again with a file of violations that needed to be looked into re military police and military courts. My lawyers, whom I want to thank again, were from a number of human rights organizations, some of whom have been working closely with the awesome activists of “Against Military Trials of Civilians” group.
– As the lawyers continued to work on the file to be handed to the military prosecutors, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces, surprisingly asked for a meeting with representatives from the Against Military Trials of Civilians group, to discuss the violations the activists have been exposing and campaigning against bravely for months.
– The activists will meet the SCAF representatives this morning, with a set of clear demands including investigating the abuses committed by the military police. Whatever information about MP abuses I’ve been gathering in the past period of time has been passed to the group, in addition to the tons of cases they’ve already been documenting.
– The activists will issue a statement as soon as the meeting with the military council is over to let us know what went on.
– It is my own personal conviction and that of many others that SCAF is already familiar with the ongoing abuses, since they are clearly systematic. But the only reason I was released the day I was summoned, and the only reason those generals are meeting the anti-torture activists, is that they are coming under heavy pressure at the moment. And that pressure needs to continue till the military tribunals come to halt and those military police officials involved in torture are held accountable.