The 25 January Revolution Youth Coalition (RYC) announced on Tuesday that it would be participating in the call for a million-man protest on Friday, which has been dubbed the “Friday for Political Corruption”. The RYC will join the protest to demand a public trial for the icons of the former regime and to protest against the government and the military council's management of the transitional phase, including the passing of legislation without broad-based dialogue. In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, the RYC said, “We and the other political movements have the right to criticize the military junta and Essam Sharaf's cabinet as they are officially running the country during the transitional phase.” The RYC also launched an initiative in which it invited all political movements and parties to an open dialogue concerning the scheduling of the parliamentary and presidential elections and which should come first. The statement also said that the coalition “will not permit” the presence of a ruler who thinks he is “a god or a demigod, as was the case with the Mubarak regime over the last 30 years”. RYC member Nasser Abdel Hamid pointed out that the most serious threat facing the revolution was the various legislative changes made by the current government and the military council, including the law on political rights, without involving revolutionary activists in the decision-making process. On their official Facebook page, the RYC called on all Egyptians to participate in the Friday, 27 May protest. The RYC said that the main goals for the protest include: speeding up the pace of trials for icons of the former regime; the issuing of a law criminalizing political corruption; the dismissal of university presidents; the restoration of security on the streets; and cleansing of the police force of “corrupt leadership” elements; and putting an end to thuggery. Translated from the Arabic Edition
