The defense team for Khaled Saeed, the young man allegedly beaten to death by police in Alexandria two weeks ago, has accused the Interior Ministry of forging the victim's criminal record. According to defense lawyers, although Saeed had been sentenced to a month in prison on theft charges, records indicate he had only received an LE100 fine for being involved in a fistfight. Members of the defense say they also found another charge against Saeed in his record, even though the source of the charge had been a police station other than Sidi Gaber -- where the crime is alleged to have taken place -- in violation of proper police procedure. Lawyers add that Saeed was also falsely charged with escaping from military service, even though he had completed it. Sidi Gaber Police Station officers, for their part, denied that Saeed had been tortured, while seven witnesses insist that they saw the victim being beaten by police. Saeed's defense team has demanded LE500,000 in temporary compensation for Saeed's family. Meanwhile, activists from the 6 April reform movement and the National Association for Change staged protests on Saturday, in which they wore black t-shirts in solidarity with the victim. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
