Lawyer Shady Maged has filed a civil suit to raise the compensation money a court granted him after he was tortured in 2007.

In February 2012, Maged was granted EGP 75,000 in compensation and the three policemen who tortured him were convicted but sentenced to only one month in prison.

Maged filed the appeal because he believes the compensation is inadequate. The policemen have also filed an appeal and want to pay a lesser amount. The third session of the appeal was held on Sunday and the upcoming session is slated to be held on 20 May.

Should Maged win the case, the policemen will have to pay the compensation. He contacted the Lawyers’ Syndicate seeking its support in the upcoming session.

Maged said their crime of cruelty is considered a felony which is why they only received a sentence of one month in prison. “It has to do with the failure of our laws when it comes to human rights,” he said.

Maged was tortured in 2007 while he was still a law student. He was stopped by a policeman who asked for his identification which Maged presented. The police officer asked Maged to accompany him but Maged refused. At which point, the policeman beat Maged in the street.

When Maged arrived at the prosecution, he discovered that the policeman had filed a complaint against him for drug possession. “I was acquitted of the charge… my criminal record is clean,” he said.

When he decided to complain against the beating, he was held, tied and beaten for 10 days.

Maged said that throughout the past six years, he had continuously received threatening messages and insults.