Tortured for insulting president

Mahmoud is a 31-year-old man from a Middle Eastern country. When he is 18 years old, he is drafted for military service. During his service, he is arrested and tortured for allegedly insulting the president. After time in prison, he has to return to the army. The year after he was discharged, war broke out and he fled because he did not want to fight. In the Netherlands, his story is deemed implausible and his request for international protection is rejected. Mahmoud’s lawyer requests a forensic medical examination from iMMO.

Mahmoud says he had a fine life. His father and mother were loving to him and his siblings. He indicates that he was called up for military service when he was 18 years old. He did not want to go, but the government was harassing his family so he reported anyway.

After four months of basic training, he was transferred to a remote area in the mountains with a notorious unit. He was structurally insulted by the officers. Because Mahmoud resisted how he was treated, he was punished a lot. He was also sexually abused.

One day, another conscript told the officers that Mahmoud had cursed the president. Mahmoud was subsequently detained by the military police. He was beaten up and taken to a security service prison. In prison, he was interrogated, beaten with fists and whipped to force a confession for insulting the president.

He was then taken to another prison where, upon arrival, he was immediately hit in the face with the back of a gun. Because everything became swollen he had difficulty breathing. In this prison, the guards were masked. He stayed in a small cell with no light. There was water on the floor so he could not sit or lie down dry. Sleeping was only possible crouched against the wall. Food was rice thrown through a hatch.

In this prison, he was tortured several times a week. One of the tortures involved putting rope around his legs and using a stick to tighten it more and more. This involved beating on the soles of his feet. This was very painful, his legs became swollen and were full of bruises.

He says that rape was threatened but did not happen. Later he confesses to his lawyer rape dit take place, after which a supplementary investigation was carried out. During the additional investigation, he tells how he was raped by masked guards.

One day Mahmoud was tortured with electricity. He fainted and woke up in the hospital. He was allowed to recover for a week but then had to report back to the army. He says he went back again out of fear.

After a time, his military service was over and he was allowed to return home. A year later, war broke out and he was called up for the army again. He decided to flee.

Examination
Multiple scars are found during the physical examination. The scars on his face allegedly from being struck with the butt of a gun are assessed as consistent. Two scars, according to Mahmoud, were caused by the electric shocks. One is now hidden under a tattoo and is therefore difficult to assess. This one is rated consistent; the other is very consistent.

The scars under his feet from the blows are judged consistent in shape and placement. The scars on his legs that could have been caused by being tied together with a rope are judged to be very consistent. The scars on the legs resulting from metal flying around during a bomb blast are also seen as consistent with the event described.

The reporter psychologically examining Mahmoud sees many PTSD symptoms such as flashbacks, re-experiences, terror, as well as the translation of stress into physical symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. According to the investigator, avoidance is evident when torture is brought up. During the additional inquiry about the possible sexual violence undergone, Mahmoud has to vomit for minutes before he can talk. According to the reporter, there are psychological symptoms typical of the violence described.

The report is brought into the proceedings. Mahmoud is granted a residence permit on appeal.

* Names are fictitious.