The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) calls on the Public Prosecution to ensure an urgent and transparent investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of Tarek Ashraf El-Sayed Mahfouz while in custody at Al-Haram police station, particularly given the documented visible injuries on his body that raise concerns about possible torture prior to his death.

According to documentation by EIPR, Mahfouz had been held at Al-Haram police station since 3 December following a domestic dispute. On 24 December, his mother was informed that her son was ill. She rushed to the police station with the deceased’s brother, only to discover that he had passed away. The brother stated that upon viewing the body, he observed visible injuries suggesting that Mahfouz had been beaten and possibly tortured. He and his mother then filed an official complaint with the Al-Haram Prosecution, requesting an immediate investigation to determine the cause of death. The report was registered under No. 20217 of 2025.

EIPR lawyers reviewed photographs of the body showing multiple visible injuries on the back, neck, and legs.

After hearing statements from the deceased’s brother and mother, the Public Prosecution ordered the following:

1. Assigning a forensic pathologist from the Forensic Medicine Authority to urgently conduct a full autopsy on the deceased to determine the cause and time of death, identify any injuries, and clarify whether the death resulted from violence, negligence, or a medical condition. 

2. Requesting the police investigation rerport into the incident, its circumstances, and whether there is any criminal suspicion surrounding the death.

3. After completing the above steps, authorize burial of the deceased by his family.

4. Instructing the Al-Haram police station chief to present for deposition two detainees from cell no. 11 to the prosecution the following day. 

EIPR stresses that the responsibility for detainees’ safety lies entirely with the Ministry of Interior and the police from the moment of arrest. It calls for the immediate completion and submission of the autopsy report to the Public Prosecution, the preservation and review of surveillance footage from cameras inside Al-Haram police station to determine what happened during Mahfouz’s detention, the protection of witnesses who were held in the same cell, and the prosecution of anyone found responsible for Mahfouz’s death in a prompt criminal trial. These minimum steps are necessary for upholding the rule of law and preventing impunity.

EIPR further emphasizes that repeated deaths in detention centers demand a serious review of oversight mechanisms for prisons and police stations. It calls for amending the narrow definition of torture in Egyptian law to align it with the UN Convention Against Torture, to which Egypt is a signatory. EIPR reaffirms its commitment to supporting the victim’s family in their pursuit of justice and truth.