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| Azza Hilal Ahmad Suleiman | |
| (2 days later) | |
| Daring to defend another woman, Azza Hilal Ahmad Suleiman paid the price. | |
| When, during last year's Tahrir Square protests, human rights activist Azza Hilal Ahmad Suleiman tried to rescue a woman being stripped and beaten by soldiers, the last thing she expected to happen was to be attacked by the soldiers herself. Azza's intervention led to her receiving a brutal beating, resulting in a fractured skull and other serious injuries. Azza, 49, was lucky to survive, and lodged a formal complaint with the Egyptian authorities. | |
| The incident was particularly shocking to Azza because she was brought up in an environment that respected the army – her father was a general, along with two of her brothers and two of her uncles. Her brother was also shocked by the soldiers' actions: "We come from a family of officers and, yes, the army was once a source of pride for us," he said. "I am so thankful my father died before seeing my sister in this condition." | The incident was particularly shocking to Azza because she was brought up in an environment that respected the army – her father was a general, along with two of her brothers and two of her uncles. Her brother was also shocked by the soldiers' actions: "We come from a family of officers and, yes, the army was once a source of pride for us," he said. "I am so thankful my father died before seeing my sister in this condition." |
| Despite her injuries, Suleiman does not regret her decision to intervene to help the woman being stripped and beaten. | |
| "The day I helped this veiled girl I never thought of what they would do to me. All I thought was that another human being needed help. I ran to her and asked the officers 'Why this violence?'" | "The day I helped this veiled girl I never thought of what they would do to me. All I thought was that another human being needed help. I ran to her and asked the officers 'Why this violence?'" |
| Despite Azza's formal complaint, no one has been held accountable for her beating and injuries. | Despite Azza's formal complaint, no one has been held accountable for her beating and injuries. |
| Through its Write for Rights campaign, Amnesty International is asking as many people as possible to call for justice for Azza and also to send her a message of support. | Through its Write for Rights campaign, Amnesty International is asking as many people as possible to call for justice for Azza and also to send her a message of support. |
| Visit amnesty.org.uk/azza to take action for Azza, or amnesty.org.uk/write | Visit amnesty.org.uk/azza to take action for Azza, or amnesty.org.uk/write |