Leaked documents show 12 torture tactics practiced by Egypt’s national security

A letter written by a detainee in one of Egypt’s notorious detention centres in Fayoum and smuggled out of an underground cell has provided detailed information on 12 torture tactics used by Egyptian national security guards. The leaked letter, obtained by Rassd news site, has been dubbed “a letter from hell” and lists the following torture methods:

1. “Cancer position” – Electricity is wired to the deteninee’s wisdom tooth while they are sprayed with water and severely beaten with sharp tools.
2. “The carcass position” – A detainee is tied upside down and beaten.
3. “The handbag position” – The detainee is stripped naked and ordered to bend over while his hands and feet are tied together, then thrown into the street before being sent to “the hell room”.
4. “The frame position” – The detainee’s hands are tied together and held upward. A piece of wood is pushed against the back of his head forcing his chin onto his chest and causing severe pain.
5. “The mattress position” – The detainee is laid on a wet mattress with two chairs held between his hands and legs to cause severe body pain.
6. “The cockroach position” – The detainee is tied upside down by one foot while being beaten with shoes and spat on.
7. Sexual torture – The detainee is stripped naked and ordered to bend over before an iron rod wired with electricity is inserted into his rectum.
8. “The dog position” – An iron collar is placed on the detainee’s neck and he is ordered to bark like a dog for a whole day.
9. “The worm position” – The detainee is ordered to crawl like a worm.
10. “The skinning position” – The detainee is tied to the ceiling while officers burn off his skin and remove the burnt parts.
11. “The broken fingers” – The detainee’s fingers are pulled backwards hard until they break.
12. “The squatting position” – Electricity is wired to the detainee’s ears and penis while he sits in a squatting position and water poured on him electrocuting him.

Images from Rassd News Network