Retrospective study of positive physical torture cases in Cairo (2009 & 2010)

Torture is the most serious violation of a person's fundamental right to personal integrity and a pathological form of human interaction. In this study, the prevalence of torture in Cairo during the years 2009 & 2010 is 10.97% of the total number of cases examined at the medico legal authority of Egypt in Zenhom (11.29% in 2010 & 10.36% in 2009). The number of cases under this study is 367 (175 cases in 2009, 192 cases in 2010). Torture is more prevalent in the year 2010 than in the year 2009. The largest prevalence of torture was found in the area of south Cairo (120 cases; 32.7%) while the least was found in the area of west Cairo (50 cases; 13.6%). The victims included 336 males (91.6%) and 31 females (8.4%) with male to female ratio 10.8: 1. The most commonly affected age group in the studied victims was the age group of the third decade (171 cases; 46.6%) while the least was the age group above the sixth decade (6 cases; 1.6%). The most commonly affected site of injury was head & neck (243 cases; 66.2%) while the least was abdomen (17 cases; 4.6%). The most common type of injury was bruises (258 cases; 70.3%) while the least was electrocution (5 cases; 1.4%). Regarding the causal instrument, the most commonly used instrument was blunt object (333 cases; 90.7%) while the least was electric current (5 cases; 10%). Hitting with a stick leaving the characteristic shape of elongated abrasion & bruises was found in 35 cases (9.5%) and characteristic lesion of handcuff, which is blunt trauma wounds around wrists or ankles, was found in 68 cases (18.5%). There was one case of hair torture (0.3%) & 5 cases of sexual torture (1.5%). Permanent infirmity left in victims was positive in 24 cases (6.5%) and negative in 343 cases (93.5%) while deformity left in victims was positive in 10 cases (3%) and negative in 357 cases (97%). All permanent infirmity cases were male. Of the 24 cases of permanent infirmity, 83.3% were subjected to blunt trauma and 79.2% were injured in the upper limbs & this is statistically significant.