[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 97 (Friday, June 15, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 DEPORTATION CASE OF MR. SAMEH KHOUZAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 15, 2007

  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I am deeply concerned about the upcoming 
possible deportation of Mr. Sameh Khouzam, an Egyptian man who is 
currently detained in York, Pennsylvania. The Second Circuit Court 
granted a stay of deportation to Egypt based on a finding that it was 
``more likely than not'' that he would be tortured upon return. 
Reportedly, the U.S. Government received assurances from the Egyptian 
Government that Mr. Khouzam would not be tortured were he to be 
returned to Egypt. I am deeply disturbed that the U.S. Government 
appears to have taken this assurance at face value in light of the 
extensive evidence of torture against Egyptian citizens, particularly 
against religious minorities.
  Mr. Khouzam fled Egypt in 1998, due to pressure from the Egyptian 
government to forcibly change his religion. Reports suggest that he, 
and other family members, were detained and imprisoned by the 
government during these reported attempts at forcible conversion. Mr. 
Khouzam then fled the country fearing for his life. During the flight 
to the United States, Egyptian officials notified U.S. officials that 
Mr. Khouzam was wanted for murder. When he landed in the U.S., 
authorities noticed that he was injured (due to Egyptian security 
officials' actions) and placed him in the hospital. After his release 
from the hospital, he was imprisoned in the U.S. due to Egyptian 
government requests, despite the absence of credible evidence and the 
lack of autopsy reports substantiating the ``murder'' charges. Mr. 
Khouzam was imprisoned in the U.S. for 8 years, until he was granted 
parole based on a Second Circuit Court decision that were he to be 
deported he would most certainly face torture at the hands of the 
Egyptian Government.
  By all accounts, Mr. Khouzam is an upstanding, contributing member of 
the communities in which he works, lives, and worships in Pennsylvania. 
It came as a great surprise to everyone when Mr. Khouzam, following 
instructions, voluntarily reported to immigration authorities to check 
in with them on Tuesday, May 29, 2007, but was then detained, 
imprisoned, and informed that the Egyptian Government provided 
``assurances'' that he would not be tortured, therefore, he would be 
deported on Friday, June 1, 2007. Mr. Khouzam's lawyers requested an 
extension of the stay of deportation; the request was granted for an 
extension until Thursday, June 7, 2007 and extended again until Monday, 
June 18, 2007.
  It is deeply disturbing that the U.S. Department of State and 
Department of Homeland Security would, in the face of all evidence to 
the contrary, accept at face value a promise from the Egyptian 
Government. Over the years, a number of Members of Congress have 
personally worked on numerous cases in Egypt in which the government 
has used torture against its own citizens. The most recent Country 
Reports on Human Rights Practices issued by the U.S. Department of 
State detail that that there were ``numerous, credible reports that 
security forces tortured and mistreated prisoners and detainees,'' that 
security forces ``employ torture to extract information or force 
confessions,'' and that ``human rights monitors believe the use of 
torture by police [is] widespread.'' Further, the Country Reports 
describe the torture methods used by Egyptian security officials, 
``Principal methods of torture reportedly employed by the police and 
the SSIS included stripping and blindfolding victims; suspending 
victims from a ceiling or doorframe with feet just touching the floor; 
beating victims with fists, whips, metal rods, or other objects; using 
electrical shocks; and dousing victims with cold water. Victims 
frequently reported being subjected to threats and forced to sign blank 
papers for use against themselves or their families should they in the 
future lodge complaints about the torture. Some victims, including male 
and female detainees and children, reported sexual assaults or threats 
of rape against themselves or family members.'' Even further, the 
Report states that ``Security forces continued to mistreat and torture 
prisoners, arbitrarily arrest and detain persons, hold detainees in 
prolonged pretrial detention, and engage in mass arrests.''
  Further, the State Department, as have numerous human rights 
organizations, has documented persecution by the government of Egypt 
against Coptic Christians. All this evidence and the clear patterns of 
the use of torture as well as persecution against religious minorities 
indicate that the ``assurances'' of the Egyptian Government on these 
matters are not reliable.
  Madam Speaker, in two recent news programs on an Australian 
television station, former Central Intelligence official Bob Baer made 
it clear that the U.S. Government knows of the widespread torture in 
Egypt, and, in fact, considers that knowledge in decisions to send 
individuals to Egypt. When asked if ther was any doubt someone would be 
tortured if he were returned to Egypt, Mr. Baer answered, ``Oh 
absolutely no doubt at all . . . [if you] send them to Egypt it might 
as well, it's tantamount to condemning them to death.'' In another part 
of the program, Mr. Baer stated, regarding sending people overseas, 
``If you never want to hear from them again, send them to Egypt. That's 
pretty much the rule.'' When again asked, ``When someone's rendered to 
Egypt, is there any doubt that they're going to be tortured?'' Mr. Baer 
said, ``Oh absolutely no doubt at all.''
  Yet, the U.S. Government is willing to accept the ``diplomatic 
assurances'' of the Egyptian Government that Mr. Sameh Khouzam, who has 
already been tortured by the Egyptians, will not be tortured if he were 
to be deported. Our country was founded upon due process, not sending 
individuals to countries where the likelihood of their being tortured 
is extremely high, diplomatic assurances to the contrary.
  On June 1, 2007, in the Government's Response to the Petition for 
Writ of Habeas Corpus and Opposition to Petitioner's Motion for Stay of 
Removal, the U.S. Government told the Court that ``substantial 
embarrassment could result in the diplomatic community'' if the Court 
were to find that Mr. Khouzam would likely be tortured despite 
assurances from high level Egyptian officials. Since when have we based 
our foreign and domestic policy on concerns about being embarrassed?
  We know the Egyptian government tortures people. What does the U.S. 
Government want from Egypt in exchange for deporting a Coptic Christian 
who is reportedly innocent of any charges against him?
  Madam Speaker, if Mr. Khouzam is sent back to Egypt, this 
Administration will bear ultimate responsibility for anything that 
happens to him.

                          ____________________