Family of Khalid Hassan… Pompeo learned early of Hassan’s Disappearance and torture in Egypt

The family of the Egyptian-American Khaled Hassan, who is being held in Tora prison, presented documents proving that US officials have ignored his forced disappearance case in Egypt since January 8 last year.

Al-Jazeera.net received a copy of a letter sent by Hassan’s brother on January 19, 2018 to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Attorney General William Barr. The letter informed both officials informing of Khaild’s enforced disappearance and torture. He has not received a response from them, although he received an acknowledgment of receipt.

Hassan’s family also presented copies of letters sent to the US embassy in Cairo.

Hassan’s family said in a letter to Pompeo they had informed the US embassy in Cairo, as well as the FBI, of his arrest, however, their interventions did not bear fruit and violations continued against him and he was imprisoned in inhumane conditions.

A US State Department official said yesterday Washington had strongly protested the Egyptian authorities’ treatment of Hassan.

The statement said Hassan was receiving all necessary services from the US consulate in Cairo, and that officials visited him in Tora prison several times, the last of which was a few days ago. “We continue to communicate regularly with the Egyptian authorities regarding Mr. Hassan’s case,” he added.

The response of the US official came after Al Jazeera.net had broadcasted a promotional video for an investigation prepared by its journalists, the full text of which will be published along with a video and audio recording on Wednesday evening.

The investigation examines the circumstances of Hassan’s arrest in Alexandria a year and a half ago and his subjection to the most severe forms of torture and sexual abuse, forcing him to confess on fabricated charges, including collaborating with a foreign country, joining the Islamic State, financing terrorist organizations, and planning to bomb military installations.

On October 11, Human Rights Watch issued a statement regarding Khaled’s case, but the Egyptian authorities officially denied through the Public Authority of Information that he had been held for a long period between January 8 and May 3, 2018.

Source: Aljazeera.net (Original Content -Arabic)