Human rights activist XXXXXXXXXXXX told us February 10 he believes the top USG human rights priority in Egypt should be diplomatic approaches to urge the GOE to combat torture. He recommended quiet diplomacy over public statements.

http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2010/02/10CAIRO213.html

— (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX was pessimistic the GOE would pass human rights-related legislation besides a trafficking law before the 2011 presidential election, but asserted that the GOE could be open to issuing a discreet order to stop torture

— (C) He described police torture as pervasive, and attributed it to senior-level Interior Ministry pressure on officers to extract confessions, especially in murder cases, by any means necessary.