Egyptian general admits soldiers performed ‘virginity tests’

[Playinghardball]

By Stephen C. Webster

An unnamed Egyptian general has reportedly told CNN that so-called “virginity tests” were indeed carried out on some female protesters taken into custody during the massive protests that overturned former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

“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,” he reportedly said. “None of them were (virgins).”

(Editor’s note: The quote above does not appear in the video below, but is reflected in CNN’s report.)

Advocacy group Amnesty International said in March that at least 18 different women were subjected to this treatment, first at a military prison, then inside the Cairo Museum

More and see the video at: http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/05/egyptian-general-admits-virginity-tests-were-carried-out-on-protesters/

[Deep13]

1. Because 1. that's an excuse and 2. soldiers are qualified to test for that.

:puke:

[SpiralHawk]

2. So much of the hate & brutality in right-wing world comes from fear of the feminine

an attempt to control or kill it.

Why are right-wing males so pathetically and brutally insecure in their manhood? It is pathetic and disgusting that they are so wimpy and must project their fear and insecurity out as hate and control.

A right-wing recipe for FAIL.

[Deep13]

6. True. The whole anti-abortion, anti-contraceptive movement...

...comes from a man's supposedly divine right to control his wife and daughters.

One of the objections I have heard from conservatives to what is euphemistically called "adult entertainment" is "That's someone's daughter!" and "Would you want YOUR daughter doing that?" Whatever one thinks of that business, it is clear that these objections are based in an assumed property right that fathers supposedly have in their adult daughters. The whole give-away-the-bride ceremony at a wedding symbolizes a women leaving the control of her father and beginning the control by her husband.

It's so ingrained in the culture it is hard to see it sometimes.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Sounds like a scene out of I,Claudius.

In the ( truly great series) the deposed emperor's family is being killed, but the soldiers balk at killing the daughter, quoting some law at the time that a virgin cannot be killed.
So the deposer's henchman suggests that she NOT be a virgin at the time they kill her.
And the scene ends as the viewer contemplates that chilling idea.

[blindpig]

4. So much for the Army as the friend of the people.

In truth the forebearance shown in Tarhir Square had more to do with fear of the people and uncertainity as to the performance of the mostly conscript army than warm feelings for the populace.

[Diclotican]

5. Playinghardball

Playinghardball

There you have "egyptian democracy" for you... Democracy my ass.. Its the same as it ever have been, even tho the pepole in sharge have shanged..

I would NOT be suprised if the generals, deside it was to comfortable to be in power, when its start to be ready for real votes for democracy...

Diclotican