December 10, 2007

Anatomy of a State Security Case

The "Victorious Sect" Arrests

Summary
Methodology
Background
Political opposition and violence in Egypt
Egypt's State Security Investigations
The Emergency Law...
Proposed New Counterterrorism Law...
The Case of the "Victorious Sect"
The Announcement of the "Victorious Sect" Arrests
The Actual Arrests
Detention, Torture, and Confessions
Prosecution Dropped..
The Timing: A Connection to Egypt's Emergency Law?
A Larger Pattern of Abuse
Past Allegations of Fabricated Cases
Estimates of the Scale of SSI Detention..
Abuse So Routine, It No Longer Shocks
The Weaknesses of Egypt's Approach to Fighting Terrorism...
Recommendations
Appendix: Letters to Egyptian Government Offices
Acknowledgements