Egypt acquits military doctor suspected of conducting women detainees' 'virginity test'

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2012-03-15

An Egyptian military tribunal has acquitted an army doctor of public obscenity charge filed by a protester, who claimed she was forced to undergo a virginity test, while in detention.

The court denied the tests ever took place despite a ruling by another court and admissions by generals quoted by a leading rights group.

The ruling provoked an outrage among the country's revolutionary youth movements, who have said virginity tests claims indicated that the generals are still carrying on with the repressive practices of the Mubarak era.

The verdict is likely to lend credibility to suspicions that generals are removing any legal basis for their prosecution for crimes committed during their rule after they step down.

Samira Ibrahim, one of seven women who claimed they were forced to undergo a virginity test in military detention had earlier won a civilian court ruling last year that affirmed the tests were taking place at military jails and ordered they be halted.

But military prosecutors investigating her accusations brought only one individual, Dr Ahmed Adel, to trial, and overturned the verdict that such tests were carried out.

Egypt's official news agency said that Adel was acquitted because the testimonies of the witnesses for the plaintiff conflicted.

"The court's denial of the tests being conducted went against written testimonies of several public figures who discussed the issue with several of the ruling generals," rights lawyer Adel Ramadan said.

The military has been in power since Mubarak stepped down last year following a popular uprising.

Source:Middle East News.Net

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