Fact-finding committee releases report on the January 25 Revolution

Committee charged with investigating allegations of foul play on the part of the former regime confirms many of the suspicions rumoured during the revolution

The official report from the Fact Finding Committee on Egypt's January 25 Revolution was released in a press conference today. The revolution in Egypt brought out the worst in a regime that was fighting tooth and nail to remain in power and was rumoured of despicable crimes against their fellow Egyptians. The committee was designed to gather the proofs and come to conclusions about the rumours. The committee members, headed by Judge Adel Qoura, are all volunteers.
The report confirmed what the many political analysts, activists and Egyptians witnessed during the revolution, most significantly that “Egyptian police have used live ammunition against protesters on 28 and 29 January” during the revolution.
Moreover, the report points the finger at the two sons of the ousted president Hosni Mubarak, Alaa and Gamal Mubarak, former head of the upper house Shura Council Safwat El-Sherif, attorney Mortada Mansour, business tycoon Ibrahim Kamel as well as the masterminds of the “Battle of the Camel,” which left several protesters dead and injured on 2 February.
After a brief description of the revolution the report then elaborates on other points: the killing and injury of protesters infiltrating Tahrir Square during the revolution to disperse the protesters, known as “Battle of the Camel;” illegal detentions; intentionally leaving a security vacuum and opening prisons; the media role and, finally, the committee's recommendations.
According to the fact-finding committee up until 16 February there are “at least” 846 martyrs in the Egyptian revolution. Twenty-six police officers and policemen and 189 prisoners were killed.
Injuries were numbered at 6467 protesters, 263 prisoners and 30 from the armed forces. The fact-finding committee confirmed that there were snipers shooting from above and that the police and interior ministry were responsible for organising and carrying out the attacks.
The report didn't hold any surprises. Regarding the jailbreaks the report states that the committee watched videos that confirm that several prisons where opened by security forces. However, some prisons were opened by external, unknown forces that don't likely belong to Egyptian security. Accordingly, the fact-finding committee recommends further investigation on the issue.
As for the government-owned media, the committee admonished the fact that the media focused specifically on the security vacuum, jailbreaks and economic problems and blamed it on the revolutionaries.
Interestingly, the fact-finding committee made several recommendations, among which are issuing a new constitution that ensures democracy; revising all the laws that inhibit freedom in Egypt, such as laws that govern political engagement; revising the taxes on businessmen and creating a scaled tax system; revising the education system and issuing a law criminalising any religious, political or racial discrimination. All of their recommendations are in alignment with the demands of the revolution.