Amnesty International denounces 'utter carnage' in Egypt

LONDON // The London-based rights group, Amnesty International, yesterday denounced the "utter carnage" in Egypt, after clashes between security forces and supporters of the ousted president, Mohammed Morsi, killed hundreds across the country in the past week.

"A clear violation of international law and standards has been carried out in Egypt in what can be described as no less than utter carnage," said Salil Shetty, the secretary general of Amnesty International.

Amnesty urged the military-backed interim authorities to "take immediate action to prevent further loss of life, while bringing security and public order back to the streets".

Earlier this month, Amnesty said that evidence indicated that supporters of Mr Morsi tortured political rivals in late June and July.

Between late June and July 28, eight bodies arrived at Cairo's morgue bearing signs of torture, it said. At least five of these were found near areas where pro-Morsi sit-ins were being held, it said.

Amnesty also quoted anti-Morsi supporters as saying they were captured, beaten, subjected to electric shocks or stabbed by individuals loyal to Mr Morsi.

While criticising what it said were instances of abuse, Amnesty said that the interim government should not "use these crimes, carried out by few, as a pretext to collectively punish all pro-Morsi supporters or use excessive force to disperse their sit-ins".

Mr Shetti said that even if some of Mr Morsi's supporters had used violence against the security forces as they broke up demonstrations calling for the Islamist president's return, "that could never justify such a disproportionate response" from police and troops.

* Agence France-Presse