Sameh Khouzam
In the news recently, a Coptic Egyptian man from Pennsylvania, Sameh Khouzam, who was also facing imminent deportation back to Egypt where he was tortured because he refused to convert to Islam, was granted a stay of deportation thanks to the efforts and support of several organizations and people who wrote letters and made calls and signed his petition. The efforts to save Sameh are still ongoing, please offer your prayers and support to his cause as well.
The following are some comments from attorneys for the ACLU representing Mr. Sameh Khouzam):
"The Egyptian authorities are notorious for their routine use of torture."
CAT, ratified by the U.S. in 1994, prohibits the U.S. from transferring a person "to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture." The U.S. has sought to circumvent its treaty obligations by transferring individuals to countries - including those known to employ torture
The U.S. State Department has documented widespread Egyptian persecution and discrimination against Coptic Christians and other religious minorities, as well as widespread use of torture in Egypt
Comments made by Amnesty International in the Sameh Khouzam case:
"Amnesty International continues to receive well-supported allegations of torture and ill-treatment in Egypt. Some people taken to police stations in connection with minor offences are tortured or ill-treated to force them to confess; others are detained without being accused of anything."
Judge Vanaskie, who ruled on his, case said:
"Protection against torture is an essential component of the rule of law and a democratic society. While Khouzam may have no right to be in the United States , he most assuredly has a right not to be tortured."
Read more: Sameh Khouzam Granted Indefinite Stay
The following are some comments from attorneys for the ACLU representing Mr. Sameh Khouzam):
"The Egyptian authorities are notorious for their routine use of torture."
CAT, ratified by the U.S. in 1994, prohibits the U.S. from transferring a person "to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture." The U.S. has sought to circumvent its treaty obligations by transferring individuals to countries - including those known to employ torture
The U.S. State Department has documented widespread Egyptian persecution and discrimination against Coptic Christians and other religious minorities, as well as widespread use of torture in Egypt
Comments made by Amnesty International in the Sameh Khouzam case:
"Amnesty International continues to receive well-supported allegations of torture and ill-treatment in Egypt. Some people taken to police stations in connection with minor offences are tortured or ill-treated to force them to confess; others are detained without being accused of anything."
Judge Vanaskie, who ruled on his, case said:
"Protection against torture is an essential component of the rule of law and a democratic society. While Khouzam may have no right to be in the United States , he most assuredly has a right not to be tortured."
Read more: Sameh Khouzam Granted Indefinite Stay
