Keen carp fisherman. British father Tony is in terrifying Egyptian jail
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and a renowned international expert on legal issues in the Middle East, responds to requests for comment on the case of British citizen Tony Camoccio, arrested in Egypt for reportedly ‘patting an airport security guard on the back’.
“We are appalled by the arrest and detention of Mr. Camoccio, and fear for his safety. The Egyptian authorities have extended his detention for another two weeks ostensibly to ‘investigate’ the allegations. Egyptian prisons are infamous for their inhumane treatment of prisoners, and documented instances of torture and abuse are disturbingly common. At a time when Egypt is actively seeking, and very badly needs, support for its tourism sector, it may seem shocking that a Western visitor could be subjected to such outrageous actions by the police; however, Britons must bear in mind that Egypt has largely become a police state over the past 7 years, with a dramatic spike in rates of incarceration, mass trials, deaths in custody, and an erosion of judicial independence. Civil rights and basic freedoms have been increasingly curtailed and democratic norms simply do not apply in the country.
“We urge the FCO to intervene with their counterparts in the Egyptian government to secure Mr. Camoccio’s release as soon as possible; and we would caution Western tourists against traveling to Egypt, given the fact that their rights are not guaranteed, and they can have no expectation of due process or a fair hearing in the country.”