ARABI TORTURING CIRCASSIAN PRISONERS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3500, 25 September 1882, Page 4

ARABI TORTURING CIRCASSIAN PRISONERS.

Among tbe charges that have been brought against Arabi is that of having tortured the Circassian prisoners. It appears that prior to the episode of 9th September, Arabi had dissmissed nearly all the Circassians from the regiments. I hen he formed a regiment for the Soudan, and appointed to it all the remaining Circassian oOieers. He then countermanded the orders to this regiment, and kept it in Cairo, but told the officers they were still to go and join regiments already there. They did not refuse, but they asked for increased pay, and four of them held a meeting to petition for this. Arabi, forgetting his own history, arrested them. They were accused of plotting against his life, and any person with whon? they had been even intimate were also arrested also, and from them all they tried to get evidence against these officers. They were first taken to a cell under the stairs of the Abdin Barracks. It measures about 6 feet by 4 feet. Into this room were crammed as many as it would hold, and here they were left without light, food, or water for three days. They were then taken out and asked to give evidence of the plot. Any who would make any declaration were released to give encouragement to others. Those who remained firm were taken upstairs. Here they were taken to a room. On either side, to the right and left, were inscribed the names of the men they were wished to incriminate. To the roof of this room they were suspended by their thumbs, with their toe 3 just touching the ground, while soldiers struck at them, prodded them with bayonets, and directed their attention to the names on the wall; till, perhaps, in desperation, they would state some fact against some one name for which, they had the least regard. Here, again, the smallest admission was encouraged, and the man released, and allowed to recount his experiences to those who had not yet suffered. But there were other ordeals the refactory had to pass through. The logs were fixed in a trying position, the back was bent, nuts wore

placed on the knees, and the victim placed in a kneeling position. One of the most trying tests seems to have been heavy chains to the arms, which the poor wretch was made to hold extended. As the arms fell with the weight, the knuckles were rapped or burnt until an attempt was made again to extend them. For 49 hours, under such tortures, these men were left without water, and when, in spite of all, they gave way to sleep, they were prodded with bayonets to keep them awake. Thumbscrews, too, were used, and these were applied by Ibrahim Bey Fanyi, Prefect of Police at Cairo, and Ayain Effendi, Lieutenant at the Zaptieh there.