An Egyptian physician was allegedly tortured for supporting ex-IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei in his call for democratic reforms, a rights group said on Wednesday.

"Taha Abdel Tawab, a doctor from Fayum (south of Cairo) known for his support of ElBaradei, was summoned by a state security officer after attending a meeting organised by [opposition movement] Kefaya," Gamal Eid, who heads the Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), told AFP.
 

Abdel Tawab was "sadistically tortured as a brutal punishment for expressing his opinion," before being taken to hospital in Fayum where he is "between life and death" in the intensive care unit, Eid said.
 

He was tortured for 12 hours during the night of Sunday to Monday, Eid said, adding that the officer was careful "not to leave any marks."
 

A security official denied torture took place or that Abdel Tawab had been summoned.
 

International and Egyptian rights groups say torture in Egypt is routine and systematic, but authorities insist they are only isolated cases.
 

ElBaradei, who stepped down as head of the UN atomic watchdog agency at the end of last year, said he was prepared to run for president in 2011 if constitutional amendments were made to remove restrictions on candidates.

He returned home in February to a hero's welcome, the highest profile challenger so far to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
 

Source: AFP