Demand to Investigate Torture Claims
Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds says she is more hopeful now that there will be an international investigation into the case of two Egyptians who say they were tortured after being deported from this country.
Sweden has been severely criticized by human rights groups for believing Egyptian assurances before turning the two accused terrorists over to American intelligence agents three years ago.
The two Egyptians say they were abused by the Americans and tortured when they arrived in Egypt. One was later acquitted, but the other is serving a lengthy prison sentence. Sweden has called for a new trial.
Freivalds met Egypt’s Deputy Foreign Minister Asraf Rashed on Wednesday. She says she thinks the Egyptians are more willing now to permit an investigation into whether the two men were tortured.
