Welcome parade (torture)

The welcome parade or health trail or corredor polonês is a form of running the gauntlet used to torture new prisoners in some countries, including Poland in the twentieth century during the Polish People's Republic (communist period),[1] and Egypt[2][3] and Belarus in the twenty-first century.[4]

Twentieth century

Poland
Main article: Running the gauntlet § Fitness trail in communist Poland

In Poland under the communist regime (1946–1989), the welcome parade torture was called the "health trail" (Polish: ścieżka zdrowia) and was widely applied by police (Milicja Obywatelska), riot police (ZOMO) and internal security forces/political police (Służba Bezpieczeństwa), particularly against political protesters and anticommunist activists.[1]

Brazil

In Brazil, the welcome parade was called corredor polonês (Polish corridor) in allusion to the Polish tradition.[1]

Twenty-first century

Egypt
Main article: Human rights in Egypt § Conditions for detainees and torture

During the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, torture was common in Egyptian police stations, with 701 incidents of torture recorded by the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights between 1985 and 2011, among which 204 prisoners died from torture and mistreatment.[5]

Method

In the Egyptian variant, policemen form two rows. The new prisoner crawls on the ground[2] or is made to walk bent over[3] between the two rows of policemen. The policemen then kick, hit and insult the new prisoner walking between the two rows.[2]

After Egyptian blogger, software developer and political activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah was arrested on 29 September 2019 during the 2019 Egyptian protests, he was blindfolded and had to undress down to his underwear for his welcome parade. He was beaten on his back and his neck, repeatedly kicked, threatened and verbally abused during the parade, which lasted 15 minutes. Abd El-Fattah's welcome parade took place in Tora Prison.[3][6]

Mohamed el-Baqer, Abd El-Fattah's lawyer and head of the Adalah Center for Rights and Freedoms, himself also arrested on 29 September 2019, was blindfolded for his welcome parade in Tora Prison, during which he was insulted by policemen.[3]

Role in Egyptian prisons

According to Abd El-Fattah, the welcome parade is used against prisoners classified with a low status, "without protection".[2] Abd El-Fattah reported an incident in which a prisoner of high social status was accidentally subjected to a welcome parade. The incident was followed by "frantic action" by senior officials, who apologised to the prisoner.[2]

Deaths

Abd El-Fattah reported a welcome parade used against an elderly man who died during the parade. There was no change in prison procedures following the death, according to Abd El-Fattah.[2]

Belarus

In Belarus, the welcome parade is widely used in prisons. Footage of the parade that took place on 11 August 2020 during 2020–2021 Belarusian protests in Okrestino prison in Minsk is available on YouTube.[4]

References
  1. "'Element antysocjalistyczny' na 'ścieżce zdrowia'" ['Antisocialist element' on the 'health path']. TVN24 (in Polish). 13 December 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  2. Abd El-Fattah, Alaa (23 September 2019). "A personal introduction to viciousness in enmity". Mada Masr. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  3. "Alaa Abd El Fattah and his lawyer recount humiliation and beatings in maximum-security prison". Mada Masr. 10 October 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  4. "Belarus: Welcome parade in Akrescina prison in Minsk, August 11th, 2020". YouTube. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  5. Marwa Al-A'sar/Daily News Egypt (22 June 2011). "EOHR calls for investigating 900 torture cases". Archived from the original on 27 June 2011.
  6. "Egypt: Torture of activist Alaa Abdel Fattah illustrates use of extreme brutality to crush dissent". Amnesty International. 10 October 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
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