Christians Under Attack

Eighteen women were arrested by soldiers, according to astatement by the international organisation, and claim that theywere "beaten, subjected to electric shocks, forced to undresswhile soldiers took photographs of them and forced to take a"virginity test", amid threats of being charged withprostitution".

"Forcing women to take a "virginity test" is completelyunacceptable," Amnesty says, highlighting the case of RashaAzeb, a journalist arrested in Tahrir Square.

"According to her account, the 18 female protesters arrestedwere initially taken to a room in the Cairo Museum, where theywere handcuffed, hit with sticks and rubber tubes, givenelectric shocks to their chests and legs and calledprostitutes," Amnesty reports, adding that the journalist wasfreed a number of hours later, together with four fellowjournalists, while the other 17 women were transferred to the ElHeikstep military prison.

The 17 women appeared before a military court on March 11 andwere released two days later, Amnesty claims, saying that "anumber of them were given a one-year suspended prison sentence".