Report: Egypt admits to forcing "virginity tests"

Egyptian anti-government demonstrators pray at Tahrir Square on Feb. 10, 2011.

/ Getty Images/Mohammed Abed

This story was updated on June 1, 2011. A previous version of the story incorrectly attributed the admission that Egyptian military officials had performed "virginity tests" to Maj. Amr Imam. The story now correctly notes that the admission came from an anonymous general in the Egyptian military.

On March 9, as the Egypt uprising continued to celebrate its success with Hosni Mubarak's Feb. 11 departure from office, the army attempted to clear Tahrir Square in Cairo of protesters, and about 18 women were caught up and arrested in the security sweep.

About two weeks later, Amnesty International issued a scathing report, claiming Egyptian authorities forced "virginity tests" on the detained women, and this was only after the female protesters had been beaten, given electric shocks and "subjected to strip searches while being photographed by male soldiers."

At the time, Egypt's rulers denied the accusations, in no small part because forced "virginity tests" are considered torture by many. Now, a general in the Egyptian army, whose name was not given, has admitted to CNN that the virginity tests were indeed conducted, and he went so far as to defend the practice.

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"The girls who were detained were not like your daughter or mine," the general told CNN. "These were girls who had camped out in tents with male protesters in Tahrir Square, and we found in the tents Molotov cocktails and (drugs). We didn't want them to say we had sexually assaulted or raped them, so we wanted to prove that they weren't virgins in the first place. None of them were (virgins)."

In its report Amnesty International writes:

"20-year-old Salwa Hosseini (said) that after she was arrested and taken to a military prison in Heikstep, she was made, with the other women, to take off all her clothes to be searched by a female prison guard, in a room with two open doors and a window. During the strip search, Salwa Hosseini said male soldiers were looking into the room and taking pictures of the naked women. The women were then subjected to 'virginity tests' in a different room by a man in a white coat. They were threatened that "those not found to be virgins" would be charged with prostitution. According to information received by Amnesty International, one woman who said she was a virgin but whose test supposedly proved otherwise was beaten and given electric shocks."

Most of the arrested women were brought to trial on March 11, and released two days later with one-year suspended sentences, Amnesty writes.

Mubarak stepped down after 30 years in power on Feb. 11 and transferred power to the military after the 18-day popular uprising. At least 846 protesters were killed, and thousands injured, according to a government fact-finding mission.

[seham48]

we never heard or red that profit Mohammad performed or ordered a virginity test i dont uderstand what give any one power to violate
the body of another human.
and to be fare shoudnt police perform an anal tests on boys too
to see if they are gay or not incase they claim to be raped bu the
police

[meFairplay]

As an American citizen having lived in both countries it is more an issue in Egypt about Womens rights that have to take a more enlightened approach and move forward from old taboos. This is a changing world and many issues have to be dealt with. There is no utopia in our own world as far as women's rights are concerned as evidenced by those two idiots that as police officers visited an raped this female executive, who was perfectly aware that she was being raped. And they beat the rap!!! Are we much better than Egypt???? Democracy is not a destination but a path to hopefully will be a more humane and a better way of life. Even after 300 years or more our democracy still leaves much to be desired. Egypt has to trod the path where we've already been and it didnt happen over night!

[The Platzner Post]

What the ...???

[Masha_B]

I think DSM-4 would count that as an Obsession?

I think that if the the US encourages them to have a "free election," we should also require to pass a thorough psychiatric evalutation as a prerequisite for participation (at least for the candidates).

[justme2012]

To any women out there. A vote for Obama is a vote to finance this government and these practices.

Your choice, but if you vote for Obama, remember those women you betray.

Tell our government we are tired of working hard everyday for them to spend our money supporting countries that abuse women and children.

[betopless]

We have been supporting these countries long before Obama became president. Please...stop with the BS!!!! Enough already.

[justme2012]

Funny, these people just came into power and Obama just promised these people billions of $$.

Did you miss the whole Egpt uprising?

The women in this story were a part of that "peaceful" protest and this is their reward from Obama's new friends.

NO

This is all on Obama's watch and he's giving THIS GOVERNMENT our money.

Seems like you support it all!

[justme2012]

These are the people that Obama supports. These are the people that Obama just promised billion to help. Billions of dollars of hard working women's tax money being sent to a government that treats women like this.

OBAMA'S GOTTA GO

America can NOT be financing these kinds of abuses!!!!

[betopless]

Another &%$ head blaming Obama for the atrocity that go on in other countries. This has been going on long before he stepped foot into the White House. Why can't people tell the truth about what happening, and blame the right people, instead of the wrong ones. I agree we shouldn't be financing them but, this has been going on for quite some time.

[justme2012]

Not this government. It's new.

Please so on the internet and look up current events.

There is a lot of stuff going on in the world you are missing.

[magnumdr]

What is wrong with these people. Do they also have a test for young men to make sure that they are still virgins also. Kreepy people.

[you_MAY_be_right]

And exactly how would you go about that?

[betopless]

I think they should be tested for Gonorrhea on a daily basis using the old technique from way back when. They would take a hammer and bang on men's johnson to see if there is any discharge, which means positive. I guarantee, they would think twice about their next sexual act.

[Will1956]

Barbaric and inhumane. . . it's unbelievable that this kind of thing continues to happen in this world.

I think that best thing for Maj. Amr Imam and for his counterparts would be a bullet right between their eyes.