Testimony of an Egyptian Citizen Sentenced to 3 Years In Military Jail

The Arab Network for Human Rights Information published the following testimony by an Egyptian citizen living in Germany who received military sentence of 3 years after raising a banner demanding the cleaning of Hurgada during a holiday there.

“We were watching TV in our small apartment in the city of Munich in Germany. My little kid asked me: What’s going on in Tahrir square, dad?

I proudly answered: It’s the revolution sweety. There’s a revolution against injustice in our Egypt.

Before asking me that we travel to Egypt, I told him that I’ll travel on my own, and after I come back I’ll arrange our return to Egypt.

I looked for a ticket in the closest flight and got back to Egypt. I hope I never did. I was imprisoned, I witnessed the injustice embodied and all my dreams were shattered while in prison. I still don’t know why they have wronged me so much!”

These are the words of an Egyptian citizen who resides in Germany and returned to share the joy with the Egyptian people. However, a military lawsuit was fabricated for him, he was sentenced three years, and was charged a 5000 Pounds fee, all as a compliment from the head of a military prosecution with the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel to an officer in the Armed Forces with the rank of a Colonel.

Information about the victim:

Name: Nassari Hassan Mohamed Ahmed.
A resident in Germany since 1992.
Married to a German citizen with two children (Walid, Amina).
Entrepreneur in Munich.

What happened?

The testimony of Nassari Hassan:

I returned to Egypt by the beginning of March to witness the revolution and share the joy of the liberation from Mubarak’s regime with my friends. I stayed in Hurghada on 13 March 2011. As thousands of other citizens, I saw heaps of trash covering the streets of Hurghada. So, I headed alone to the Town Council of Hurghada, holding up a sign on which had been written “The people demand the cleanliness of Hurghada”, along the lines of what I saw from the citizens and influenced by the popular and great chant “The people demand”.

Some officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces who were guarding the building of the Town Council looked at me. I expected my civilized attitude of expressing opinions would appeal to them, as it draws attention to the seriousness of the impact of garbage on an important touristic city like Hurghada.

An officer approached me and asked me to leave. I said to him:
“Am I doing wrong?”.
“No”.
So why are you asking me to leave, don’t you see how Hurghada looks?

Surprisingly, I found him and his soldiers beating and swearing at me until I lost consciousness.

I woke up in a hospital and asked the doctor to write down a report of my injuries. When he knew that I was a victim of an assault by an officer and a number of soldiers, he refused to do so, fearing revenge!

Following the advice of some citizens, I got the phone of the Military Governor. I called him and complained about what had happened to me. He then asked me to head again to the Town Council where his office is. I did, and once I got there, I was shocked by four vehicles of the military police, from which approximately 20 soldiers got out and viscously kept beating and swearing at me. The officer searched me and found my German driving license and my Visa and my laptop. He opened it and saw my pictures with my German wife and kids. I imagined that all the beating I had would suffice for him, but he told me that I was mistaken if I thought that my residency in Germany would protect me. He then took me to the Military Prosecution.

In the Military Prosecution:

Colonel Yasser entered the office of the head of the Military Prosecution, while I was standing outside. Two hours later, the head of the prosecution Colonel Lieutenant Khaled Gamal Khallaf and Colonel Yasser, who attended the investigation, bombarded me with insults and said that I was accused of “insulting the Armed Forces”, “Spitting at the Military Colonel” and “libel and slander”. When I swore that I respected and appreciated the Armed Forces and did not spit at the Colonel and that he could hear what the witnesses had to say, alone, the head of the prosecution said to Colonel Yasser:
“ Would you mind leaving us for a moment, sir?”

He then asked the two soldiers for their true testimony, and they denied that I spit at Colonel Yasser and that they did not such a thing! I imagined that the head of the Military Prosecution would put an end to all that, however, he surprisingly refused to document the testimony of the soldiers in the investigation saying: “I have over 500 witnesses against you.” When he finished the investigation, I refused to sign it saying that those were fabricated charges. The head of the military prosecution said:

“We have electric batons, mad dogs, stakes, gallows, and also witnesses to testify that you hanged yourself… come on and choose, dear.”

I was compelled to sign, fearing the officer who came back into the room and the head of the prosecution. I was afterwards transferred to Hurghada police station 2, awaiting the trial.

The trial:

On 24 March, the Military Court, composed of a Military Lieutenant Colonel, issued a sentence of three years imprisonment and a 5000 Pounds fee for the charges attributed to Nassari Hassan. Appeal No. 975 was lodged on 17 May 2011, and no hearing session was fixed for it until this day.

Conclusion of the testimony:

The story of the Egyptian citizen who is serving a three year sentence, issued by a Military Tribunal, in Qena public prison, has ended. However, his tragedy which started by imagining that the time of injustice has vanished by the oust of the regime of Hosny Mubarak, has not ended yet.
Nassari hassan spent 19 years in Germany, during which he had two children. The issuance of his German citizenship was imminent. He did not wait for a few weeks until he obtains the citizenship in April 2011. He preferred to travel to Egypt, even for only a couple of weeks, to share the joy of the revolution with his fellow Egyptians.

Nassari Hassan did not take part in a demonstration and did not commit any crime but holding up a sign demanding the cleanliness of Hurghada, as a civilized way to express his opinion.
Nassari Hassan was severely beaten twice, before transferring him to the hospital and after his return to the Town Council as the Military Governor asked him to after he had called him.

Nassari Hassan did not imagine that the rank of the head of the prosecution “Lieutenant Colonel” will hamper justice in the investigation in a complaint filed by an officer with the rank of a “Colonel”.

Nassari Hassan was subjected to threats and verbal abuse by the head of the Military Prosecution and blatant bias that violates the fairness of the whole investigation.

The oath of the Lieutenant Colonel, head of the prosecution, to launch fair investigations did not prevent him from investigating the victim, who became a defendant, in the presence of the military officer.

Who is responsible for threatening the future of an Egyptian citizen and depriving his kids in Germany from their father who is imprisoned in Egypt?

Legal shortcomings of the case:

It is irrational that a citizen attacks the Armed Forces, while he has a date of return to his residence in Germany, and was only in Egypt for a visit.

Why did the head of the Military Prosecution neglect the testimony of the soldiers who denied that Nassari assaulted Colonel Yasser whether verbally or by spitting at him?

How does such a thin man assault over 20 soldiers and officers? (His picture is attached)

The investigation is invalid if it takes place in the presence of the complaining officer, and there is no trace of his presence in the papers.

Dedication:

To the Supreme Council of Armed Forces, and defenders of Military Tribunals.

End of the testimony

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