currently in cell no. 8/1 Tora prison
8 hours …my kidnap, beating and torture

The moments of utter fear are plenty in my life. But the time that followed my departure from the Press Syndicate on the 25th of May at 6 pm is completely different. I had intended to ride with a comrade of mine to the train station in order to go to Alex to see my parents whom I hadn’t seen for some time – 30 day I’ve spent behind bars in prison.
The car stopped in the crossing between Abd el-Khalik Tharwat street and Talaat Harb street (down Town Cairo). I didn’t quite notice in the beginning, until my comrade screamed “who are these”. I looked behind me and saw tens of men, wearing plain clothes, approaching the car and trying to open the doors. In a matter of seconds  I realized what was happening … state security men are attempting my kidnap. I threw whatever was with me in the car and opened the door. They grabbed me fiercely and took me to the entrance of the last building in Talaat Harb street. They festively began introducing themselves to me … hitting me rapidly and violently with their hands until one of them hit me hard with his leg and I fell to the ground. They were more than twenty, hitting me so rapidly and in an unplanned manner, in a desperate need to do anything that would please their bosses. I only saw the faces of three of them.. ones that I had seen many times before in demonstrations. One of them had started to insult me and call me names, that are particularly fit to describe him, and began hitting me with his legs. These were moments full of pain from the beating and insults.
The second man, I think he is a general security officer, tried to stop them as he saw blood coming from my nose and mouth. He was taken aback when they stopped him. All that took place as I lay on the ground being kicked by their legs filling my body with pain.    
The third hit me the most. He pulled me on the ground through the stairs and the street until we reached a blue police minibus. He kept on hitting me and asked for the mobile he had seen me use while in the General Assembly of the Press Syndicate. The insults never stopped. It involved me, my mother and father. I was sitting immediately behind the driver, while he took the front seat. He kept on hitting me in the face violently and rapidly.
I can’t say that I remained solid and silent for a long time while being hit at the building’s entrance on the ground. I began groaning especially as I realized the blood streams from my nose and face. I was very scared. It was my right to feel scared to die by their hands without anybody knowing anything about me. Fear is a normal human emotion, I think.   
After I was put in the car, they demanded that I put my head between my knees. I obeyed of course. As soon as I did they started hitting me with all their force on my back.
I can say here that I remained completely silent until they said that they arrived. They got me out of the car. They took me up three stair steps, then down a narrow staircase, then through a narrow corridor to another staircase, until they finally threw me into a room and the beating started again.
I had endured more than 20 minutes of continuous beating the building entrance and the street. The beating was so haphazard that sometimes they hit each others legs. That saved me from a little beating sometimes.
In the place they took me to I heard one of them say, “turn off Garden City’s traffic light and don’t let anyone pass because of the Chief-of-police’s car”. That was when I realized that I was in Qasr El-Nil police station since there isn’t any other police station there. Also, I know that the stairs I went through are like the ones in Qasr el-Nil police station.
In the police station things were different. The beating was more professional concentrating on particular parts with high skill in torture methods and showing a high level of sadism.
They began with repeating, “what brought you mother fucker today.. what made you leave your home”. They began hitting me all over my body until someone said “take off his pants”. They opened the zipper fast. He said, “you fag wearing colored underwear”.  I felt like laughing but the beating, bruises and the band covering my eyes prevented me from showing what I felt inside. After that they squeezed my left testicle. It seemed they felt pleasure doing that. The pain was enormous. He continued doing this for about 3 minutes. I was screaming all the time. I wanted him to stop so that I can breathe. He then tore away my slip and kept hitting me in different parts of my body. Then he ordered me to bow. I didn’t. but they forced me to. This man with the angry rough voice put a paper in my anus. They continued beating me until I heard him say: “Pull up his trousers. God damn the viewer and the viewed.”  At that moment I valued someone passing through a stage of faith at some point in one’s life.
Then they asked me about the sum of money they found in one of the pockets of my trousers. They asked me if it was given to me by Dr. Hani Enan. I said I borrowed it from my friend Mohamed Taima. Them they asked me about my mother and told me that she is sick in Alexandria and that she will die before seeing me. At that moment I felt regret for not going to see her immediately after I was released. Then someone else came. I think I know him well. He told me: “Do you know now, you ***** that you are worth nothing; and that if we want to bring you we shall bring you.. we can bring you in three minutes.. you son of a bitch.”
I was silent and was hardly aware of anything going on around me. When the beating was over, he told me to sleep on my abdomen. Then he stood on my back and said: “You sons of ****. As long as I am here in this combat office you will see hell. All of you are not worth anything”. It was then that I realized that he was one of those sick people called Mr. President’s security officers (former state security officers).
Then he added: “What made you go down today you, son of ****. True you did not chant, but you think you are important giving interviews to journalists and satellites”. Then he said: “ I brought you the other pimp next to you in the next room”. I asked: “Who?” He said: “Essam El Eslambouli’s fag”. I told him: ” Who? I don’t know”. He said: “Karim El Shaer. You think you are strong for us. OK. This time it is a case and you will not see the world again. Your mother will die without seeing you”. He ordered me to sit and for more than two hours I sat there, afraid to stretch my legs so that anybody next to me would hit me. They came and handcuffed both hands and then put me, blindfolded, in a prison car. Inside the car I heard a voice say: Karim, who was with you in the car? So I knew he was with me and they drove us through the streets. For a few moments I thought we were on our way to Lazoughli (state security headquarters). But it felt we were driving in a straight direction so I realized we were on our way to state security headquarters in Madinet Nasr or state security prosecution, Heliopolis branch, or rather Walid el Dessouki – Heliopolis branch.
We arrived there and before putting us in the cells, they lifted the blindfold but they did not remove the handcuffs. They put us in the cell. At the beginning they prevented us from drinking or going to the WC and then later they allowed us to the WC, but still handcuffed and in their company.
Then they called for me. I went upstairs to the chief prosecutor. As soon as I entered his office he said: Who did this to you? I told him. He said: OK. I shall start the interrogation. I asked: Where are the lawyers. He said” Are there any lawyers? If there are any I shall send for them. Go wash your face and come back.
I entered into a bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. I could not believe what I saw. Really, I saw another person, with red eyes and very swollen face, and a bare chest covered in wounds and swellings.
I returned to the chief prosecutor’s office and found Gamal Eid and another lawyer. His name was Mr. Sayyed. I felt better as soon as I saw Gamal. He is foremost a friend whom I respect a lot. The interrogation started. They told me to mention all my injuries, everything that happened to me and who did it. After a few moments Ragia Omran walked in and with her Ahmed, another two lawyers. After mentioning all my njureis I said I refused an interrogation in front of the state security prosecution and I demand a magistrate. I left the office. I knew that outside the building were Nora, Manal, Salma and her mother Dr. Mona and I felt so proud and strong to have all those around me.
Then I found myself in front of Tora prison. All this journey from my arrest in Abdel Khaleq Tharwat until my arrival at Tora prison did not take more than 8 hours. Before entering the prison I saw I had a glimpse of Nora and Manal. They were behind me. They were behind the prison car. The laughter and smiles of Manal and Nora mean so much to me. I wrote to Nora once that I remember her laughter and think: tomorrow Egypt will be a better place.
I am now in Tora prison. I have to admit that I miss Ahmed el Droubi and Salma and Manal and Walaa and Nora. I miss everybody. But here too I have friends and brothers.. Kamal and Maher and Wael and Alaa.
Mohamed el Sharkawy
Tora Prison
Cell 8 - 1