Hundreds of Egyptians have been abducted and tortured by the country’s security services as part of a clampdown on dissent since early 2015, according to Amnesty International.
A report released on Wednesday by the UK-based rights watchdog revealed a trend of disappearances at the hands of the state, targeting students, political activists and protesters, including children as young as 14.
“Enforced disappearance has become a key instrument of state policy in Egypt. Anyone who dares to speak out is at risk,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director.
In a statement on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, the Egyptian foreign ministry dismissed Amnesty’s report, describing the group as “biased” and “driven by political agendas”.
“Any objective reader can tell instantly that the organisation’s reports depend on sources that reflect the opinion of one side and people that are in a state of hostility towards the Egyptian government.
“It ignores the court rulings on the cases mentioned and does not base its information on materials and clear principals of the Egyptian law and constitution.”
Egyptian authorities have previously denied they practise torture, but say there have been isolated incidents of abuse and those responsible have been prosecuted.