Now diplomatic row looms as Egypt accuses UK of ‘human rights failings’

THE death of Mariam Moustafa turned into a diplomatic row yesterday as Egyptian authorities accused Britain of failings.

Politicians in the 18-year-old’s home country criticised her hospital treatment and the police investigation into the brutal gang attack. On Twitter, campaigners gave their posts labels including Justice for Mariam as concern about the case gathered momentum.

The Egyptian prosecutor-general has reportedly made an official request for information about the attack. And human rights organisations in Egypt are said to be working on a dossier that includes a list of its nationals ‘killed in mysterious circumstances in England’.

The head of Egypt’s human rights committee is even planning to send a parliamentary delegation to England to carry out its own probe, according to reports. Deputy chairman Margaret Azer called the death a ‘complete and flagrant violation of human rights in Britain.’ She added: ‘If a British or a western national was killed in Egypt, we would see an army of western organisations issuing reports on human rights conditions in Egypt.’

Another report said deputy foreign minister Khaled Rizk was investigating possible medical ‘negligence’.

Critics say there is no democracy in Egypt and real power resides with the army. The country is often criticised for its own human rights violations, incuding extrajudicial killings and the repression of free speech. Last year Briton Laura Plummer, 34, was jailed after bringing in 290 tramadol tablets she said were for her Egyptian boyfriend’s bad back.

The Egyptian embassy in London did not respond to a request to comment.