The report, titled "Egypt's Torture Epidemic," accused Egyptian security forces and police of routinely torturing and abusing detainees and criticised the government's failure to investigate credible allegations of ill-treatment.

"Egypt's security forces used to employ torture primarily against political dissidents, especially suspected Islamist activists and sympathizers," said Joe Stork, acting executive director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa Division.

"Nowadays, ordinary Egyptians who find themselves in police custody for any reason whatsoever risk being tortured," Stork said.

An appendix to the report detailed 17 cases of death in detention in 2002 and 2003 in which torture was known or suspected to be the cause of death.

Human Rights Watch called on the Egyptian government to establish an independent body of judicial and medical experts to oversee prompt investigations of torture allegations against law enforcement officials.

TERRA.WIRE