Picture reference /

Notes in Red

Online highlight on documents

Voiceover

Sync (interview)

1

Opening montage:

CSF in action January 2011

COMM

Egypt 2011 in the throes of a revolution. And this is Egypt’s Central Security Forces, or CSF, at work trying to protect the government of President Hosni Mubarak.  

2

Khaled Fahmy describes founding of CSF to bring urban protesters under control. 

COMM

The CSF is an arm of the national police and one of the Egyptian Government’s main tools to maintain order.

3

COMM

But behind this violence lies another story.   Abuse of the CSF’s recruits by their own officers.

4

Mostafa walking through prison

COMM

Mostafa ElMarsafawy., a reporter working for BBC Arabic, has spent two years investigating suicides and suspicious deaths of CSF conscripts. 

5

Docs / CSF interviewee / recon

COMM

He has obtained exclusive access to documents and testimony and interviewed families as well as former senior policemen.

6

COMM

The investigation reveals serious abuse and murder of CSF conscripts.   There is also evidence of official cover up by the authorities.

7

TITLE:

DEATH IN SERVICE

8

New material of Mostafa in office pinning up photos

COMM

Mostafa ElMarsafawy has spent more than two years investigating 13 cases of conscript deaths, dating back to 2008.  Of those thirteen deaths, the authorities classified ten as suicides. 

9

Photo of Mohammed Diab

Diab case was widely reported in the Egyptian media at the time but MM doesn’t have documents.

COMM

Many of these cases were closed quickly after only brief investigations.

Like Mohammed Diab, a young recruit who - according to the Ministry of Interior - allegedly shot himself in the head.  He gave no warning and left no suicide note.  The official investigation lasted one week.

10

Camera shifts to photo of Hassan

Hassan Yehia died in November 2013.  His death was announced as a hanging to local media in el Minya by head of security the CSF sector.  See this link to the story of his death, especially the third paragraph.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/346823

COMM

Soon afterwards the Ministry of Interior announced another conscript suicide – from the same city - el Minya.  The victim was 20 year-old Hassan Yehia. 

Mostafa travelled to visit the Yehia family at their home, 3 hours south of Cairo.

Hassan was serving at the el Minya camp not far from his home.

11

Mostafa travelling

These figures come from the interview with Brig. Khaled Okasha, a former CSF commander.

COMM

Central Security Forces are spread across Egypt.  They include between 5-7,000 commanders, officers and trainers.   And at any one time there are between 100-150,000 conscripts, who must complete a three-year national service.

12

Mostafa gets out of car and shakes hands

COMM

When Mostafa arrived at Hassan Yehia’s home, the family was still deep in mourning.

13

Photos, Mostafa with family

COMM

Hassan chose to leave high school early to pursue his dream of becoming a driver. But first he had to finish his national service, and that took him away from his family.

14

MAHAD HAMED MOHAMMAD,

HASSAN’S COUSIN:

He hadn’t been at my sister’s wedding and he was disappointed.  He said, “ I have to attend my cousin’s wedding.  I keep missing my family events.” My aunt told him “You’ll go to prison”.  He said he didn’t care.  “I will be there.” Because Hassan loved the whole family, and they loved him.

15

Wedding video

COMM

Hassan did go to his cousin’s wedding. 

16

Photo

According to Mostafa, the sector head of security for the Ministry of Interior called local journalists to announce the death.  This is their normal modus operandi.

COMM

36 hours after he was filmed dancing, the Ministry of Interior announced that he’d committed suicide at his CSF camp.

17

DOCUMENTS/

RECON

Mostafa was given copies of the documents by a court official but does not want this reported.  We cannot call these secret documents, according to Mostafa, as they are public documents.  But they are very difficult to obtain.

COMM

According to prosecution documents we obtained, Hassan was punished for returning late to his CSF camp.  He was put in prison. 

18

RECON

This document in the film to confirm the argument and move to isolation cell.  Testimony from guard during investigation. 

COMM

After an argument broke out with other inmates he was put in an isolation cell.   Four hours later, a guard found him allegedly hanged.

19

MOTHER

At 3am I woke up.  His father answered the phone.  “Are you Hassan’s father?”  He said “yes.”  They said, “I are sorry for your loss.”  They said it was Hassan.

20

MOTHER

They said he hanged himself, that he was psychologically ill.  He was engaged to his cousin. He wanted to get married and be happy as soon as possible.  I’d say, “Of course, when God wills it.”  And when God willed it, they killed him.  It wasn’t God who did it.

21

Family

The coroner did not conclude it was a suicide, only that it was death by hanging.  The investigator for the public prosecution answered a specific question from Mostafa during his research to say that there was no suspected criminal in this case and that the case was “saved” or “archived”, meaning closed.  The family tried to re-open the case but they were told it was closed.

There is no document that specifically says it was a suicide.  Only the forensic report calling it death by hanging.

COMM

The family say they don’t understand why such a happy young man would kill himself.  The public prosecutor, however, concluded it was a suicide.

22

RECON

COMM

The last man to see Hassan alive was the same man who handcuffed him in solitary confinement, and the same man who found his body hanging from a pipe four hours later.  In his testimony, this guard said:

23

Document

Interview with police officer who found Yehia. We have this.

V/O GUARD:

He had hanged himself by the neck from the shower pipe.  I tried to get him down. I cut the cord and brought him down.

24

MOTHER:

How did he get a cord into the prison cell?  Anyone who goes into prison gets searched. 

25

26

RECON

COMM

It’s not known what happened inside the isolation cell.  But there was an eyewitness to events just before Hassan entered the cell:  A conscript who was on duty in a watchtower.  His testimony to the public prosecutor offers a clue as to what happened that night.

27

Testimony from conscript on duty to public prosecutor. We have this.

EYEWITNESS VO

I was on guard duty on the roof of the military prison. I heard a noise.  I looked down and saw three police officers holding Hassan and hitting him in the face. Then they put him in solitary confinement.  That was all I saw.

28

Photo of Hassan and family

 Mostafa says the father reported to the family that he saw a blue bruise on his back.  But this was not noted in the forensic report, according to Mostafa.

COMM

Hassan’s family say they were only allowed to see the body for ten minutes before the autopsy and burial.  But that was long enough to find another clue.

Hassan’s cousin is a medical student. 

31

MAHA HAMED MOHAMMAD,

COUSIN

I said, “Father, what did you see on Hassan’s body? He said, “nothing.”  I asked if there was any bruising in a specific place? He said “Just a blue patch on his back.”

I said, ”That means Hassan died on his back.”  Any medical student knows that when someone dies he gets something called hypostasis, which is what happens to the first place the body makes contact with the ground.  This means Hassan died on his back not by hanging.

32

Documents.  Line highlights relevant bit.

Medical report from forensic pathologist.  We have this.  Date on it is 9/02/2014.

COMM

The family waited for the pathologist’s report for 4 months.  When it came, they were disappointed.  It described the cause of death as -

“A severe neck injury due to the pressure on its circumference by a flexible object such as a rope, an electric cord or something similar.”

The report concluded that -

“Death was caused by asphyxia due to pressure on the neck circumference, could happen by hanging.”

33

MAHMOUD YEHIA,

FATHER:

I just want my son’s rights.   Everything that was done at Minya military prison is fabricated and not the truth.

34

RECON

Specifically we are talking about the missing cord, a vital piece of evidence. 

The prosecution and pathologist’s documents do not include any details of the cord and do not describe it.  Mostafa met the forensic doctor who said he did not see the cord and the prosecution did not send it to him.  Mostafa asked the prosecution about the cord and was told they did not have it and it was not an important piece of evidence.

COMM

Could Hassan’s suicide really be a fabrication as the family claims?

Clearly the pathologist’s report didn’t provide vital details.

He didn’t identify Hassan’s position when he died. 

But more importantly, the pathologist couldn’t examine the cord with which Hassan allegedly hanged himself because this vital piece of evidence had disappeared from the prison cell. 

35

Mostafa crosses the road in Cairo.

COMM

Mostafa decided to talk to Fakhri Saleh, former head of Egypt’s forensic service, for an expert view on the evidence.

36

FAKHRI SALEH, FORMER NATIONAL HEAD OF FORENSIC MEDICINE

Saleh: Didn’t register or find the cord.

MM: They examined the scene but didn’t mention the cord was missing.

Saleh: They must state the way the cord was hanging!

Saleh: Fine he cut the cord, but where is the part that was around his neck?

MM: No one recorded it.

Saleh:  He cannot confirm a suicide.  Suicide involves so many things.    The intention, the reasons, a suicide letter, and all evidence should suggest a suicide before I say it’s a suicide.

37

Media report

 http://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/346823

COMM

According to local news websites, Hassan’s death triggered an open protest by conscripts in the streets of el Minya.  The CSF sent representatives to speak to the family.

38

MAHMOUD YEHIA,

FATHER:

Some officers and soldiers came and said they wanted to hold a military funeral for him.  I said “No, how can you say he hanged himself, and then want to make a military funeral for him?”  That doesn’t add up.

39

Mostafa returns to Cairo on train

Not the Ministry of Interior that made this ruling, as previously written.

Also, the investigation was closed in March 2014 and registered as suicide as there was no suspected criminal in the case.  The family tried to appeal to the Attorney General to have the case reopened but their appeal was rejected.

COMM

The Public Prosecution closed the Yehia case - ruling it a suicide. 

But why would Hassan, a seemingly happy young man, commit suicide just hours after dancing and so soon after his own engagement?  Where did the cord go?  Why was the investigation closed?

We repeatedly asked the Ministry of Interior for an interview but there was no reply. 

40

41

Report talks about fitness of recruits and its role in protecting the country.  Khaled Fahmy also speaks in his interview about the CSF doing the opposite of what it claims to do ie. not protecting democratic rights but protecting the interests of the regime.

COMM

This is how the CSF wants you to see them.  In this television report, its conscripts are a unified, fit force safeguarding national security, upholding the law, and protecting the citizenry.

42

43

Shots of CSF in Tahrir

Aston January 2011

Khaled Fahmy described this in his interview.

COMM

But some of those who have seen the CSF in action, question its role as a protector of the people.

One person who found himself face to face with them during the January 2011 revolution was Khaled Fahmy – now a Visiting Professor in modern middle-eastern history currently at Harvard University.

44

KHALED FAHMY

These are not forces whose aim is to protect the peaceful march of demonstrators and to allow them to express their ideas to their fellow citizens in a peaceful and organised way. Rather it is the exact opposite.  It is how to use large numbers of these troops to quash any possibility of peaceful congregation of citizens for the purposes of expressing their opinion.

45

1967 War

COMM

The CSF was born of a crisis.

In the wake of the Six Day War in 1967, Egypt was in turmoil.   There was a sense of disappointment in the wartime leadership. 

46

Nasser

Students

COMM

President Gamal Abdel Nasser tried to respond, but it wasn’t enough for students at Cairo University who – in 1968 – spilled into the streets to protest against what they saw as incompetence and a lack of accountability.

47

KHALED FAHMY

It was something that caught the regime by surprise.  How do I deal with these large numbers?  A decision was taken that the police as they exist need to be reformed and the ministry of the interior has to be given the right to conscript Egyptian youth into a newly formed urban riot force.  A force to deal with urban riots.

48

We have a copy of this article.

COMM

But who makes up this force? 

Under article 86 of the constitution, every Egyptian male aged 18 has a duty to do national service.

49

49A

Script change by Mostafa for accuracy.

COMM

Based on Egypt’s recruitment law, the armed forces take the educated cream of the conscripts - usually for 12 months to 3 years.  Most of those without degrees or high school qualifications go to the CSF.  They serve for three years, no more no less.

50

KHALED FAHMY

You have young men who are very badly educated, some of them are completely illiterate.  They are very poor.  

51

Fresh recruits

52

KHALED FAHMY

The Central Security Forces are little above serfs.  Forced labour.  I wouldn’t say slaves, they’re not slaves, but they are treated in a very bad way.  Their mission is very difficult, ethically, morally, politically, legally, it is a very difficult mission because they are asked to fight fellow Egyptians.

53

Mostafa with list of suicides.

This section re-instated after Mary’s suggestion we remove it, as there is enough time to accommodate it.

COMM

Poor conditions and unpleasant duties are not evidence of abuse.  But they do suggest a lack of respect and duty of care for conscripts.

We wanted to dig deeper into evidence that the Ministry of Interior was covering up the truth about some conscript suicides.

54

HASSAN AL-SHARKAWI STORY

55

COMM

Mostafa also investigated  another case classified as suicide that happened a year before Hassan Yehia died.

58

Photo and dates

COMM

Hassan al-Sharqawi was a 23-year old recruit serving in a camp at Luxor, 400 miles south of Cairo.

59

Driving to village

Population is best estimate by Mostafa.

COMM

His family still lives nearby in al Qorna, a town of 50,000 across the Nile from Luxor.

60

Marsafarwy arriving at home of Hassan.

COMM

Like most recruits, al-Sharqawi came from a poor, uneducated family.

61

ALI AL-SHARQAWI

FATHER

He was a gardener.  When he was called in for the army, they asked him what he did for a living.  He said he was a gardener, so that’s what they assigned him to.

62

63

Photo of Hassan in garden.

He had 205 days left.

COMM:

Hassan al-Sharqawi had 6 months of service left when he started to complain to his family that he had trouble with a certain officer.

64

Check that we are spelling Aboubakr consistently in subtitles. Or Abou Bakr.

HANI AL-SHARQAWI

BROTHER

He said an officer called Mahmoud Aboubakr Orabi wanted him to work as a servant for him. He picked on him and made him do his laundry, run personal errands like fetching cigarettes, cleaning the Officer’s quarters. He wants him to be his servant.

65

COMM

One of Hassan’s jobs was to clean the officer’s private rooms. 

66

67

RECON

Doc 3.  We have report of this theft but Eva thought it looked dodgy.

COMM

In the official version of events, Capt. Orabi questioned Hassan about 300 Egyptian pounds that had allegedly been stolen from an officer’s room.

68

RECON

COMM

And then a shot was fired.

69

BROTHER HANI AL-SHARKAWI,

In Ramadan, August 2012, We got a call from fellow conscripts of my brother Hassan. They said, “Your brother was shot”.    I said, “What happened?  Was he on assignment and got shot on duty?  Was he cleaning a weapon and got shot by mistake?  They said “No, he had a problem with an officer.”

70

RECON of al-Sharqawi’s body on the floor.

Document 1a

COMM

The family were told by the  authorities that Hassan grabbed the pistol from Capt. Orabi’s locker and shot himself.

71

Hospital ext.

COMM:

Hassan was in a coma when he arrived at Luxor Hospital. The bullet was lodged in his brain. 

72

73

Short video was shot on phone of a family member. Mostafa was shown it on Hani’s phone.

COMM

Two month later, after several bouts of surgery, Hassan woke up.  His family made a short video at his bedside in Luxor hospital.  He couldn’t move much or speak.  But he was able to understand and respond to questions.

74

SHAHATA ABDEL SHAFI

MATERNAL UNCLE:

 I said, “Hassan was it the officer who shot you?  We don’t want to wrongfully accuse him.  Or was it you?  Don’t be ashamed. He’d gesture “No” and he’d hold me.

75

Mostafa says no one came according to prosecutor in Luxor, lawyer for family and family.

COMM

The family waited for prosecutors to interview Hassan but no one came.  This video is their attempt to record Hassan’s testimony, even though he was severely traumatised and unable to speak.

76

VIDEO UPSOT

Where are you hurt?

Did the officer put the pistol in your mouth?

77

Mostafa watching video his computer.

He was shot 10 August 2012 and died October 23.

COMM:

Hassan’s family says that the gesture to his shoulders refers to an officer’s rank as indicated on his epaulette.  He then points to his mouth, which the family claim shows where the officer put the gun.

Hassan al-Sharqawi survived for 72 days. 

78

UNCLE

What led to his death was that they took the bullet out.  They had operated on him but it wasn’t successful.

79

More VIDEO slo-mo

COMM

The family insists that while Hassan remained alive, no one from the CSF, the Ministry of Interior or the Prosecution Service came to his bedside to gather his testimony.  This video is the only testimony that Hassan could give.

80

Mostafa in car for transition to lawyer

Public Prosecution made ruling, not the Ministry of Interior.

Add letter from BBC to Ministry of Justice and Prosecution Service

COMM

Without ever seeing the video, the Public Prosecution ruled his death a suicide and closed the case.

We wrote to the Public Prosecution requesting an interview but they did not respond.

81

Lawyer set up

COMM

Mohammed Nubi is a lawyer with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.  He took on this case on behalf of the al Sharqawi family four months after Hassan’s death.

82

MOHAMMED NUBI, LAWYER

For me it was negligence on the part of the public prosecution.  They were supposed to follow up on the medical condition of the victim.  On learning of his physical condition, that he was now capable of giving information as yes or no answers, they were supposed to go and see him immediately.

83

DOCUMENTS

Mostafa says he checked with the prosecution office in Luxor, the family and the lawyer to confirm that Hassan was not visited by anyone in authority.

COMM

During the investigation, the public prosecution asked repeatedly about the conscript’s medical state and wanted to be kept informed of his progress. But the Ministry of Interior maintained that Hassan wasn’t in a state to be interviewed.

84

Family with documents on kitchen floor

CSF Sector Commander Saleh.  Right of reply?

COMM

So what evidence was examined before the case was closed?  The family has kept all the documents and video evidence.  They’re concerned the Sector Commander, General Imad Saleh, contaminated the crime scene before the public prosecutor arrived.

85

RECON of Sector Commander putting pistol into a clear plastic bag after handling it.

See Doc 2.  Pistol in custody of Gen. Saleh.

COMM

According to the Police records, General Saleh walked into the room where Hassan lay and, ignoring normal procedure, he handled and took into custody vital pieces of evidence.  Most importantly the pistol.

86

LAWYER MOHAMMED NUBI:

The general prosecution, as soon as they are aware of the incident, are supposed to issue a decision declaring this bunk room, which is the place of the incident, as a crime scene.  No one is allowed to mess with the evidence.  These are basic things. 

But he had already entered. 

He had already entered.

The general prosecution arrived 12 hours later.

They arrived 12 hours later.  There’s no report of fingerprints on the gun.  And that no one knows what state or condition the crime scene was in right after the crime took place.

87

RECON

Two men standing face to face in bunk room.

COMM

As the fingerprints on the pistol could not be identified, it was impossible to determine who last use it.  Was it Hassan or Capt. Orabi?

88

Photo of Hassan

COMM:

The family alleges that the authorities did everything they could to make the case go away, including pressuring them and other witnesses.

89

FATHER

My son’s colleagues came saying “Hassan is our brother.  No one laid a hand on your son except Orabi.   We can go to the prosecution with you.  We can go with you everywhere and protest.”  The Sector Commander called them and threatened them saying “If you testify for this conscript, I’ll make your life in the sector hell.”

90

HANI AL-SHARQAWI,

BROTHER:

After Hassan died, I got a phone call from a number I didn’t know. He said “Are you the brother of conscript Hassan who died?”  I said yes.  He said “As for the officer you are not going to talk about him.  If you want money or anything, I can reconcile.  But you’re not going to pursue this.”

91

FATHER

They threatened me when I went to get my boy’s national ID card.  They told me, “Did you file a case that your son was shot by the officer?” I said, “Yes, the officer shot him.”

They gave me my son’s clothes and threatened me and told me to go away.

Mother upsot:  These are Hassan’s clothes.

BREAK

92

Mostafa travelling shots, arriving back in Cairo.

In his office looking at documents.

Orabi deposition was on 24 July 2013

COMM

Captain Orabi wasn’t interviewed by the prosecution service until 10 months after the shooting of Hassan al-Sharqawi.

93

COMM

When he finally did give his version he said this:

94

Orabi testimony to investigation

ORABI VOICE OVER

The recruit in question grabbed my personal sidearm from my cabinet and kept saying, “I’m going to kill myself.”  He cocked the pistol and put it in his mouth.  I couldn’t stop him because he did it in a flash.  The shot was fired from the pistol into his mouth.

95

Mostafa gets into car, travels to Orabi’s camp. 

Blur the car license plate.

COMM

We put in a request to talk to Captain Orabi through the Ministry of Interior but they did not reply.   So Mostafa decided to try and find him himself.

96

In car /camp gate

COMM

Capt. Orabi was based at the Central Security Camp in Marg City in Cairo.  But when Mostafa got there, he was told he’d been transferred to Sinai.  However he found a phone number for the Officer and called.

97

In car

UPSOT MOSTAFA

It’s been two years and I have so many details that I want to share with you.  And then you can tell me “yes I would like to respond, or no I don’t want to respond to this”.

Think about it a bit and then I can talk again. Please be assured that I’m doing this as part of job.

98

Mostafa on phone at office

COMM

That was the last time we were able to speak to Captain Orabi.  He asked Mostafa to call back two days later but since then has never answered his phone.

99

COMM

We again asked the Ministry of Interior for an interview, but there was no response.

COMM

The CSF rarely grants access to the press.  Filming in their bases is forbidden, and any reporting is very restricted.  That makes it difficult to get a full picture of life within the CSF.

99

100

Photos from the photographer with his consent and previously published online without blurring of faces.

http://www.dostor.org/30716

Mostafa knows the photographer and confirmed the details of the event.

COMM

But there are occasional glimpses into the treatment some conscripts endure.

.

We obtained these photographs of 22 conscripts from a camp in Kafreshiekh city, admitted to hospital with burns and exhaustion.

They had allegedly been ordered to crawl on the hot sand for prolonged periods.

101

http://www.shorouknews.com/news/view.aspx?cdate=20072012&id=fc68ec86-6656-4528-8801-39602948a980

Story about officer facing internal inquiry.

COMM

The officer concerned was reportedly subject to internal disciplinary action but the details have never been made public.

The abuse of CSF conscripts has often been a source of serious disorder in Egypt.

102

Sound up at beginning of protest

Neither of the two youtube cases refer to cases in our investigation.

COMM

In May 2012, hundreds of conscripts protested against the murder of one of their colleagues by an officer.  The conscripts succeeded in blocking the road heading east from Cairo to Ismailia for 3 hours.

103

UPSOT

Guys!  What happened?

An officer shot a soldier with a pistol.

An officer got a pistol out and shot a soldier

104

COMM

One year before that, a protest broke out in Alexandria after an officer assaulted a conscript.

UPSOT

“Try him, try him”

105

COMM

But the most famous protests took place in 1986, when a rumour took hold in CSF camps that their service period would be extended from 3 to 4 years.

106

KHALED FAHMY

The conscripts just could not take this.  They took to the streets.  They caused havoc on the streets of Cairo and Giza, mostly on fancy five star hotels and other touristic establishments close to the pyramids.

107

COMM

This was a full-blown mutiny.  For one day, thousands of CSF conscripts looted and burnt their way through Egypt’s cities.  Terrified citizens locked themselves in their homes. 

108

KHALED FAHMY

And the regime for a couple of days was teetering on collapse.  I remember this distinctly because I was serving but in the army. And I remember the state of emergency that was declared inside the army because the army was deployed.

109

COMM

The president, Hosni Mubarak was forced to intervene in person.

110

HOSNI MUBARAK SYNC

A deranged minority started acts of violence, rioting and destruction, which is considered a stab in the back to the journey of this struggling people.

111

112

HOSNI MUBARAK

A large number of the individuals who led the riots have been arrested and the relevant prosecution has started interrogation.

113

There was a protest in Fayoum camp in 2015, according to Mostafa so tweaked comm.

Marc suggested “latest”?

COMM

One of the most recent protests by conscripts was in Arish, in North East Sinai, on September 5^th, 2014 after another conscript death.  This time it was blamed not on suicide, but heatstroke.

The victim was 20 year-old Ahmed Hosni Ali.

114

Ahmed Hosni Story

Photo with dates of birth and death

115

RECON

See documents Hosni1 and Hosni2.  These contain testimony from pathologist and conscripts who were there.

COMM

On the morning of September 4, 2014, Ahmed Hosni collapsed from exhaustion after four hours of training.  According to eyewitness testimony from another conscript, the officer in charge, Mohammed Hosny - no relation -began kicking Ahmed.  When Ahmed didn’t wake up, the officer took a stick and allegedly beat him to death.

116

Newscast

We have waiting claim for al hayat footage.  Najlaa sent email to head manager.

COMM

The story was spreading.  So the Ministry of Interior fielded Major Abdelfatteh Osman to rebut the story on television.

117

TV Archive

Major Abdelfatteh Osman

Spokesman for CSF

The story was already out in the media before this interview took place.

UPSOT

News Anchor:

Welcome to the show.  I have to start with the officer incident.  He’s accused of torturing a conscript in Northern Sinai, torturing him to death.  How did that happen? What information do you have?

Major Osman:

I have my reservations about the word or the way the media is discussing the incident.  What happened in reality is that during the morning line-up one of the conscripts was taken by fatigue, a low pressure, and he collapsed.  The officer tried to revive him and transport him to a hospital, but he passed away.   The relationship between officers and their conscripts in all Central Security sectors is one that is mainly friendly. Very strong ties.  This kind of abusive behaviour does not exist whether it’s officers or others.

118

Mostafa in car

Travelling shots

COMM

Despite the denials, there were witnesses.   This was an alleged manslaughter so the case would have to go to court.   Mostafa wanted to see if the judiciary would shed some light on the inner workings of the CSF.

119

Mostafa walking through village, finds house.

COMM

Ahmed was serving in northern Sinai.  But his family home is in Ismailia, about 70 miles northeast of Cairo. 

120

Meets family of Ahmed Hosni. 

COMM

Ahmed’s mother and brother share the family home.

121

122

Brother setup

COMM

Sayid Hosni heard a lot of disturbing stories about the conditions his brother faced.  He says he believes them because he had been a conscript in Northern Sinai himself. 

123

Brother iv

BROTHER

Mostafa: You know what it’s like there.  You know what the treatment is.

Sayid: It’s a filthy treatment. There’s no humane treatment.  We are slaves in there.  For who? For the officers above us.  If you’re a conscript entering the army, you leave your dignity outside.

124

COMM

Ahmed only served 4 months before he died.  The incident occurred at 6am, his family heard of the death within hours.  From the outset they say they found the official explanation absurd.

125

BUTHAINA SHAHATA

MOTHER

They said he suffered heat stroke.  What heat stroke at dawn? What heat stroke would crack his head open, cut his eyebrow, break his tooth?  Is there a heat stroke at dawn?  Why is he running from his doing? Why is he lying?

126

COMM

The authorities tried to portray Ahmed’s death as an accident, but away from the TV cameras, Ahmed’s family say fellow soldiers were agitated and the commanders were forced to take action to prevent a riot.

127

BROTHER

The camp commander of put the officer in a prison cell and made the other officers secure it.  Then he called the central security forces in Arish and they came to investigate.

At 7am he was taken to the morgue for the autopsy.

128

Mostafa with Sayid on sofa looking at documents

Report issued 10/9/14.  Final report on 26/11/14.

COMM

The family have a copy of the forensic report from the autopsy.

UPSOT

129

RECON

Stick attack and boot kicks to chest

Documents Hosni1 but does it say this about boots?

COMM

The pathologist concluded that Ahmed suffered a vicious beating to his head and back with a stick.  He also found his chest bore bruises.

130

Brother

COMM

Ahmed’s mother says it comes down to the arrogance of officers.

132

MOTHER SYNC

Because he’s an officer and has a rank so he steps on poor people like us?  And if it was his son would he do that?  No state official would accept that they would receive their son back like that as a dead body.

133

Document – pathologist report

COMM

Given the conclusion of the Forensic Pathologist, this case had to be heard in the civil courts.  In Egypt almost all cases involving manslaughter or murder are held in public.

134

Mother and corn

Officers from the camp and members of the Officer’s family tried more than once.  The last effort was during the last week of February, according to Mostafa – members of the family of Mohammed Hosny offered money.  

COMM

However, Ahmed’s family say they were approached many times by other CSF Officers and relatives of Mohammed Hosny who were offering blood money if they dropped the case.

135

MOTHER

I don’t want money from them.  I don’t want anything from them.  I want this officer to be prosecuted in public, not secretly.  I want him to go to court in public.  Why not?  They are bargaining with money.   In their own family, would they take money?

136

SAYID

If I take his money, he will have his job back next thing in the morning.  And what happened to my brother will happen again to another one, and another and another.  This is what will happen if he keeps his job and the Ministry of the Interior does not punish him.  He is inhumane and has no mercy.  Just one person can make the entire country dirty.

137

RECON

We do no have copy of the verdict but Mostafa spoke with lawyers for both accused and victim’s family.  Both spoke about the verdict in their interviews.

COMM

Mohammed Hosny, was investigated, tried and found guilty of murder, using a stick as a weapon and abuse of authority.

The court sentenced him in absentia to five years in prison but as a serving officer, he remained free and immediately applied for a retrial.

138

Script change by Mostafa.

COMM

The lawyer defending the Officer says the medical evidence is flawed and the real circumstances around Ahmed’s death will be revealed during the retrial.

139

IBRAHIM BARAKAT

LAWYER FOR MOHAMMED HOSNY

Mostafa: about the sentence in absentia, can the sentence be reduced?

Lawyer: The court will restudy all the papers

All the papers will be returned to the court

All our defences, the court examines it all.

Then it may -hopefully- result in acquittal or it may reduce the sentence or it may uphold the sentence in absentia.

142

.

COMM

The retrial begins today and for this Mohammed Hosny has to make an appearance.  Ahmed’s family will be there too.  This is the first time they will lay eyes on his alleged killer.

143

In car

Mother: I just want to look at him.  I won’t cause any problems.  I swear to God I won’t cause any trouble.

Brother: We’re going there and we’ll go and see what will happen. Hopefully he’ll be a decent man and he’ll...you know.

Okay.

144

Ext. Ministry of Justice Central Court, Ismailia

Mostafa says he asked Judge for permission to film.

COMM

Ahmed’s family are pinning their hopes on the retrial judge.  They hope he will listen to all the witnesses, including the forensic pathologist.  They want him to uphold the conviction and enforce a prison sentence.

Mostafa brings a small camera into the courtroom with the permission of the judge.  There, Ahmed’s mother and brother wait patiently for four hours for the session to begin.  Finally Mohammed Hosny is brought into the prisoners’ cage, wearing a light shirt.

At that point, Ahmed’s mother can no longer contain herself.

145

UPSOT MOTHER

My son.  Why? 

Have you no pity?

He killed my son.

Give me peace!

Enough of this!

146

COMM

The lawyer for Ahmed’s family argues the judge should hear evidence from the forensic pathologist and the conscripts who saw the fatal beating.  

147

Lawyer: The forensic pathologist is the key witness in this case.

Judge: I’ll get (conscripts) one and two and the forensic pathologist.  I’m not going to listen to sixteen witnesses.

147

In car

COMM

The judge decides to resume the case in a month, and rules that Officer Mohammed Hosny should go to prison.

The family has not given up hope for justice.

MOTHER SYNC

This is the first time we’ve seen him and he wouldn’t answer me. He said to his lawyers “I’ll give you all the money you want.” 

I have faith in God and Egypt’s judiciary.

148

COMM

It took another 4 months but on May the 8, 2016 the judge sentenced Mohammed Hosny to three years – a reduction from the original 5 year sentence.  And he still has the right to appeal.

Mother and son at home.

Mother upsot:

I trust in you Allah.  You will grant me vengeance.

149

150

151

152

153

GV of home area /

Home

154

Sitting on sofa

Stabilise shot from roof

COMM

Ahmed Hosni’s case is likely to be the last suspicious conscript death that will be heard publicly.  

154A

Sunset

Words on screen

COMM

One month after Ahmed died, President Abdelfattah el Sisi issued an amendment to the Police law, particularly the article concerning the trials of the Central Security Forces.  From now on -

“It is up to the military judiciary, not to anyone else, to decide on all crimes that involve conscripts serving in the Police”. 

This means is all cases of conscript deaths may now be heard in closed military courts and not be open to public scrutiny. 

154B

Cairo GV/Mostafa back in office/ photos and document

COMM

Back in Cairo, Mostafa reflects on the similarities between the individual cases he’s investigated.  Too often it seems, the facts around suicides and suspicious conscript deaths appear to be covered up. 

If the truth around even one death is covered up, why should I believe there aren’t more?  Is the problem systematic?

Mostafa on phone

COMM

We try one last time to reach the Ministry of Interior for a comment but we aren’t successful.

154B

156

Funeral

COMM

In November 2015 there was a new case involving a conscript who reportedly hanged himself in one of the CSF camps in Cairo.  The family has raised questions about the precise circumstances of his death.

The list grows of young Egyptian men fulfilling their national duty and dying without adequate explanation.

With the new law, their grieving families will now find it harder than ever to find out why.

Credits

Investigative reporter and producer

Mostafa ElMarsafawy

Camera

Alaa El Kamhawi

Mohamed Emad 

Mohamed Fathi

Reconstruction filming

Fred Scott

Reconstruction camera assistant

 Lulu Nana

Production Coordinator Cairo

Ahmed Younis

Production Coordinator

Emma Davidson

Producer and Editor

Simon Ardizzone

Colour Correction

Fouad Al Chabawi

Online Editors

Zaydun Khalaf

Stephen Beard

Dubbing Mixer

James Downham

Najlaa Abou Merha

BBC Arabic Producer

Executive Producer

Elizabeth C Jones

Developed in Partnership with Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ)

Executive Producer for BBC Arabic

Marc Perkins

Executive Producer for BBC World News

Mary Wilkinson