CAIRO: Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has summoned three more human rights activists for investigation on Tuesday. Bassem Samir, Hossam Ali and Ahmed Ghoneim, who work for the Egyptian Democratic Academy, will be investigated on Thursday. The reason behind the summoning is not yet clear, however the SCAF has already summoned two other rights activists this week for investigation, in an apparent crackdown. The SCAF is now Egypt's ruling authority during the transitional period that began with the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak on February 11 after 18 days of protests in the country. Asmaa Mahfouz, who was released on a 20,000 Egyptian pound bail and accused of “incitement against the SCAF” is now to face a military trial, according to the state-run MENA news agency. Military court rulings are final and cannot be appealed. Many activists have expressed their anger and condemnation at trying civilians in front of military courts. Tens of Mahfouz's supporters protested outside the military prosecutor's office holding signs that read “no for military trials” and chanted anti-SCAF slogans. The SCAF said the young woman “went over the limits of criticism to slander and incitement” and alleged that she called for the assassination of a SCAF member in comments she published on her personal Twitter and Facebook accounts. Mahfouz and her lawyer strongly denied the accusations and said that the criticism was directed at the SCAF as a “presidential ruling authority and not for its role as a military.” The second activist summoned this week was Maha Abou Bakr, a leading member of the Kefaya (Enough) movement. She was released shortly after due to a “mistaken identity.” SCAF thought Abou Bakr was someone else from a video from the Abassya march that saw one person die and dozens injured when pro-change demonstrations marched on the military's headquarters and were attacked by local residents in July. Abou Bakr was released, but the move drew criticism and sarcasm from many activists who called for protests denouncing the SCAF decision to go after activists. BM
