Egypt returns body of Hamas official's brother who died in prison

Published today (updated) 14/10/2009 16:33

Al-Arish – Ma’an –

Egypt returned to Gaza the body of a man Hamas claims died as a result of torture at the hands of Egyptian security forces, officials said on Wednesday.

Hamas announced on Tuesday that Yousuf Abu Zuhri, the brother of Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri, had died after being tortured in an Egyptian prison.

Jaser Mashukhi, an official on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing point, said that the body was handed over on Wednesday morning.

“An Egyptian ambulance coming from Alexandria arrived at the crossing with Yousef’s body early on Wednesday … Egyptian authorities completed the delivery of the body of the deceased to the Palestinian side,” Mashukhi said.

The official added that a medical report delivered with the body said that “Abu Zuhri died of health problems he faced while he was imprisoned in an Egyptian jail in Alexandria.”

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri was not present at the crossing to receive his brother’s body, reportedly due to the Israeli airstrikes on smuggling tunnels in the border area at the time of the handover.

Mashukhi said the body was sent to Abu Yousuf Al-Najjar Hospital in the city of Rafah. A funeral and burial are planned for later on Wednesday.

Egyptian security forces arrested 38-year-old Yousuf Abu Zuhri from an apartment in the city of Al-Arish after receiving information that he entered the country through one of the hundreds of smuggling tunnels along the border with Gaza.

During a news conference in Gaza on Tuesday, Sami Abu Zuhri said his brother had been tortured over the past two weeks causing massive internal bleeding which ultimately caused his death.

Egyptian Interior Ministry spokesman General Hamdi Abdel Karim denied that torture had been the cause of death. Rather, he said Abu Zuhri "died a natural death from a drop in blood circulation," according to a report from French news agency AFP.

Egypt currently mediating negotiations toward a unity agreement between Hamas, which controls Gaza and rival party Fatah, which dominates the West Bank.

Hamas denounces the murder of detained Abu Zuhri in Egyptian jails

[ 13/10/2009 - 04:30 PM ] 

GAZA, (PIC)—

Hamas mourned the death of Yousuf Abu Zuhri, the brother of its spokesman in Gaza Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, who died Tuesday of torture in one of the Egyptian jails.

The Movement in a statement strongly condemned the murder under torture of Yousuf Abu Zuhri, adding that Cairo should investigate the incident and put on trial those responsible.

Hamas described the incident as "serious and bizarre", adding that Yousuf, 38, was subjected to excruciating torture that led to internal bleeding for two weeks before his death.

"We have contacted officials in Egypt several times during his detention period to save his life and asked for transferring him to hospital for treatment but to no avail," Hamas said, adding that Yousuf had asked his family in a brief call from his jail to contact Egyptian officials to save his life.

The Movement asked the Egyptian leadership to release all political detainees topped by Ayman Nofal before they die in similar circumstances in Egyptian jails, adding that its concern over their lives was growing following Yousuf's death.

Hamas asked the Egyptian and Arab human rights groups to assume their responsibilities and to expose the crime and to adopt all steps necessary to investigate the crime and bring the culprits to account.

Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri had earlier announced the death of his brother in a statement to the PIC, adding that Yousuf died of torture.

He said that the Egyptian security only carried Yousuf to hospital when his condition was critical and after a preliminary surgery he was returned to jail in a very bad condition until his death was known without any announcement by the Egyptian authorities.

Abu Zurhi said that his brother was arrested when he crossed into the Egyptian territory last April without any charge then underwent cruel interrogation rounds.