Police accused of ordering rape of teens

Two police officers are under investigation after two teenagers alleged that the officers ordered other prisoners to rape them at a police station, prosecution officials said Wednesday.

A lieutenant and first lieutenant at the Kafr el-Sheik station allegedly ordered older prisoners to rape the teenage boys, ages 16 and 17, after the two were arrested for drug possession last week and ordered detained for four days, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about the case.

Does it ever stop? The number of cases of torture and worse in Egyptian police stations that have come to light in recent months is staggering. In most countries, this kind of thing would have caused the resignation of the interior minister by now. But General Habib al-Adly, eager and willing defender of the Mubarak dynasty, continues to hold his post. Yet he has overseen the deterioration of police work for years, turned a blind eye to the lack of discipline, corruption and brutality that have made the average Egyptian terrified of dealing with the police (even if, for instance, they want to report a crime). It seems to me this is the same pattern of neglect and lack of pro-active leadership that has characterized Egypt under Mubarak: a country adrift.