information. The court sentenced six other men to death in the case, including three journalists in their absence. IMPUNITY The authorities failed to adequately investigate the vast majority of alleged human rights violations, including torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, deaths in custody and the widespread use of excessive force by security forces since 2011, and to bring perpetrators to justice. Prosecutors regularly refused to investigate detainees’ complaints of torture and other illtreatment, as well as evidence that security forces had falsified dates of arrest in cases of enforced disappearances. On 15 August, President al-Sisi signed amendments to the Police Authority Law which prohibited security forces from “illtreating citizens” and prohibited officers from making unauthorized statements to the media and unionizing. WOMEN’S RIGHTS Women continued to face inadequate protection from sexual and gender-based violence, as well as gender discrimination in law and practice, particularly under personal status laws regulating divorce. A 17-year-old girl died on 29 May, reportedly from haemorrhaging, following female genital mutilation (FGM) at a private hospital in Suez Governorate. Four people faced trial on charges of causing lethal injury and FGM, including the girl’s mother and medical staff. On 25 September, President al-Sisi signed a law increasing the prison sentence for any individual who carries out FGM, from a minimum of three months and maximum of two years, to a minimum of five years and a maximum of 15 years, also punishing those who force girls to undergo FGM. DISCRIMINATION – RELIGIOUS MINORITIES Religious minorities, including Coptic Christians, Shi’a Muslims and Baha’is, continued to face discriminatory restrictions Amnesty International Report 2016/17 in law and practice and inadequate protection from violence. There were repeated attacks targeting Coptic Christians. On 11 December a bomb attack on a church in Cairo killed 27 people. The armed group IS claimed responsibility, while the authorities blamed a “terrorism cell” linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. A new law regulating churches, signed by President al-Sisi on 28 September, arbitrarily restricted their construction, repair and expansion. RIGHTS OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND INTERSEX PEOPLE Individuals continued to face arrest, detention and trial on “debauchery” charges under Law 10 of 1961, on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS Egyptian security forces arrested more than 4,600 refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, according to figures published by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, in September. On 8 November, President al-Sisi signed a law which would punish those who illegally transfer people from one country to another with a fine of up to 500,000 Egyptian Pounds (US$32,130) and prison terms of up to 25 years. The law did not distinguish between human smuggling and trafficking. While the law exempted victims of trafficking and irregular migrants from prison sentences and fines, it provided that the government should return them to their countries of origin – potentially against their will. The law did not specify how the authorities should treat victims of trafficking and refugees and asylum-seekers and whether they would be protected from refoulement. On 22 September, a boat carrying refugees, asylum-seekers and irregular migrants capsized off the Egyptian coast, resulting in the deaths of more than 200 people. Security forces arrested the crew. 149