The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and REDRESS welcome an important decision by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), which found that Egypt’s use of forced genital examinations (also known as “virginity tests”) on two women pro-democracy protesters in 2011 constituted degrading, inhumane and torturous treatment. It also called on Egypt to compensate the victims and eradicate the practice.

The decision concerns the case of Samira Ibrahim Mahmoud and Rasha Ali Abdel-Rahman brought before the African Commission in 2012 by the two women, represented by EIPR,  Interights and REDRESS. The case stems from abuses committed by the Egyptian military following their dispersal of a peaceful demonstration in Tahrir Square in March 2011, during the Egyptian popular uprising. 

The African Commission found that the two women were subjected to severe violations by the Egyptian military, including verbal abuse and electric shocks while forcibly stripped of their clothes and in view of male officers and soldiers. A military doctor also conducted forced genital examinations with his bare hands without their consent, purportedly to verify their “virginity”.

In a decision adopted during the ACHPR’s 3-23 May 2023 session, but only made public in November 2025, the African Commission found that the physical and mental pain inflicted, resulting from the forceful nature  of the examination, and the humiliation and social harm of such practice, constituted cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment in violation of Article 5 of the African Charter. The African Commission further found that Egypt’s failure to effectively investigate the ill-treatment the women suffered and prosecute the perpetrators amounted to a further violation of Article 5 of the African Charter as well as Egypt’s obligations under international law.

Alejandra Vicente, Head of Law at REDRESS, said:

“The so-called practice of virginity test is blatant form of sexual torture that specifically targets women, and leaves survivors with deep, long-term trauma. The African Commission’s decision is a critical step towards upholding the absolute prohibition of torture, including sexual torture, across the region.”  

The African Commission found no legitimate justification for virginity tests and cited international standards recognising such examination of detained women as acts amounting to rape and torture. It also concluded that the ill-treatment of the women was gender-specific and discriminatory, and that Egypt violated Articles 2 and 18 (3) of the African Charter by failing to investigate and prosecute such discrimination.

The ACHPR recognised that the ill-treatment of the women formed part of a pattern of systematic sexual violence targeting women protesters, aimed at punishing and silencing them for expressing their political opinions. In addition, the ACHPR found that the complainants’ trial before military courts for non-related military offences violated the principles of judicial independence and impartiality, as well as their right to equal protection of the law, in breach of Article 26 and 3 (2) of the African Charter. 

Lobna Darwish, EIPR director for women’s rights and gender issues, said: 

“We commend the courage and perseverance of the women who refused to accept impunity for the egregious crimes they suffered, for which Egyptian authorities never apologised or even acknowledged 15 years later. This important decision provides not only long-overdue vindication and remedy for the complainants, but also an important contribution towards the full criminalisation of the heinous practice of ‘virginity’ testing in Africa and elsewhere in the world.” 

Beside calling for the immediate eradication of forced genital examinations, the ACHPR requested Egypt to reform its Military Prison Procedures Code to ensure strict safeguards for prisoners’ bodily integrity and privacy rights. The ACHPR urged Egypt to prosecute the perpetrators who were engaged in the ill-treatment of the two women and requested the Egyptian State to compensate each of them with 100,000 Egyptian Pounds for the physical and emotional damages and trauma they suffered.

EIPR and REDRESS call on the Egyptian authorities to implement the decision within the 180-deadline set by the African Commission. 

Read more about the case here.

For more information or for an interview, please contact: Eva Sanchis, Head of Communications of REDRESS, on eva@redress.org or +44 (0)20 7793 1777.