CAIRO: Thousands of Egyptians are demonstrating in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday in continued calls for quicker change, nearly 8 months on from a revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak. Flags waving, people chanting and a jovial spirit was in the central square – the focal point of the 18 days of protests in January and February – which is the first large demonstration since the military and police violently cracked down on a July sit-in on the first day of Ramadan, August 1. Various political movements and parties have called on Egyptians to take to the streets in what is being dubbed as the Friday of “correcting the course.” Among the demands that political powers are asking for are an end to military trials for civilians. Rights activists say around 12,000 people have stood in military trials for their opinions that did not resonate well with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), Egypt's current ruling authority after ousted president Hosni Mubarak, who is standing trial for killing protesters along with his former minister of interior and 6 top aides. Approximately 1,000 people died and thousands others injured after police opened fire at them during the 18 days of protests that toppled the regime. Since police and army forces kicked out activists from their sit-in that started on July 8 and ended on August 1, security in the square has been tightened and no one was allowed into the central garden that has been protected by dozens of soldiers. Friday's protest is gaining momentum as calls have been spreading on social networking websites and already thousands have pledged to join. Islamist political movements, including the widely influential Muslim Brotherhood said they are not joining the Friday demonstration. They said that they believe the government and the SCAF is responding to people's demands and the protest is not needed. Many have accused the Islamist groups, especially the Brotherhood, of having private deals with the SCAF and therefore they fear publicly criticizing it. In a recent press conference, General Adel al-Morsy, head of the military judicial committee, said that the military courts do not go after bloggers or people who express their opinions, however “many have misused the virtual freedom to write slurs and insults targeting the military and the SCAF and that is not acceptable and deserves a slander trial in court.” Morsy added that due to the expectational circumstances that the country is going through, military courts are “considered normal courts for civilians to be tried at,” adding that 11870 persons have stood in front of military trails in a sum of 3863 cases, 6235 were convicted and now serving their sentences. Rights activists say military trials are not suitable for civilians as there is no appeal to its sentences and said that the swift rulings happen at times without the presence of an attorney. BM
