By Sarah Carr
CAIRO: A former chief forensic doctor has criticized the investigation into the Khaled Saeid case, noting inaccuracies in the forensic report during a TV interview.
Speaking on Modern satellite channel’s Mahattet Masr talk show, Fakhry Salah described the improper handling of some parts of the case.
“Even if someone kills 100,000 people and is then himself killed, he should be treated like a human being during the autopsy,” Salah told the TV program on Monday evening.
Salah suggested that Ministry of Interior claims about Saeid’s background undermined the forensic investigation, saying, “Doctors should treat people they perform autopsies on without regard as to whether he is a janitor or a minister, a thief or a suspect.”
“The country today is different from how it was 15 years ago. We are an open country, there aren’t secrets anymore,” Salah said.
Two autopsies have been performed on the body of Khaled Saeid, who eyewitnesses say was beaten to death by two police officers who apprehended him at an internet café on the evening of June 6, 2010.
Both autopsy reports upheld interior ministry claims that Saeid died after swallowing a plastic wrap of marijuana, provoking public outrage.
Demonstrations and silent protests have been held throughout Egypt and overseas at what participants allege is an attempt by the interior ministry to cover up another incident of police brutality.
The two junior policemen implicated in Saeid’s death are currently in custody awaiting trial but have only been charged with unlawful arrest, misuse of force and physical assault of a person arrested unlawfully.
Salah cast doubt on autopsy findings that the cause of Saeid’s death was asphyxiation after swallowing a 2 cm x 7 cm plastic drug wrap. “It is hard to imagine that something of this dimension could be swallowed. Something dry and not moist is not swallowed easily,” Salah continued.
Secretary General of the ruling National Democratic Party’s (NDP) policies committee Gamal Mubarak has meanwhile said that the NDP “believes in the necessity of justice taking its course according to the rules and principles laid down in the law” and underlined that this applies to Saeid’s case.
The state news agency reported Mubarak as saying that “the NDP is determined to hold to account anyone who undermines justice, transparency or the rule of law.”
