CAIRO — At a time when the Egyptian government has recognized the need to stop physical and sexual violence against women, human rights organizations have registered dozens of cases of physical abuse against women in Egyptian prisons pending trial for political issues.

On June 23, 10 Egyptian human rights organizations filed a joint complaint — of which Al-Monitor obtained a copy — with the Egyptian general prosecutor. They requested that the latter quickly investigate the complaints of female prisoners being subject to torture and physical and sexual abuse, and demanded that protection be speedily provided if the complaints are shown to be valid.

The complaint — signed by the Nadim Human Rights Center, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression and the Center for Women's Issues — said that female prisoners have suffered violence by the failure by the government to investigate violations, protect the detainees or refer them to an official doctor who can report on their conditions.

Darine Mutawia, 19, was arrested in front of the Court of the Fifth District on March 30, while she was attending the court session of one of her female colleagues from Al-Azhar University. She spent nearly three months in prison without charge. She said, "We were subjected to all forms of torture, beatings and physical and sexual abuse during our arrest and after it."