CAIRO: In another sign that Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) will not allow dissent or criticism, leading blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah and activist Bahaa Saber will face a military prosecutor on Sunday. The summons could result in their being charged with incitement of violence in relation to the October 9 attack by the military against Coptic Christian protesters that left at least 27 people dead and hundreds wounded when the military opened fire and ran over protesters in front of the state television and radio building, or Maspero. Amnesty International said in a press release on Saturday that Fattah's family fears that he could face charges of “inciting violence and sabotage” after they spoke with lawyers at the military prosecution. Amnesty also reported that a ‘public complaint' and video allegedly has come forward showing Fattah threw rocks during the protests, but nothing has been made public. Saber could be charged with “verbal incitement.” “The summoning of two activists by military prosecutors is a warning that Egypt's armed forces are cracking down on criticism, including of their handling of the Maspero violence,” said Amnesty International in the statement. The two activists, however, are not the only people under threat as a result of the Maspero violence. The “No to Military Trials” reportedly said that 28 civilians, including three minors, are being charged in connection to the violence. The civilians are being charged with sabotaging military equipment, damaging public facilities and attacking members of the security forces with “firearms and cold weaponry”, allegedly resulting in three deaths and several injuries. The military has yet to show proof that any soldiers were killed in the violence and has accused the Coptic Christian protesters from carrying guns and attacking the troops, which led to the killing. However, eyewitnesses and Bikyamasr.com staff present on October 9 said there were no weapons among the protesters and the Coptic Christians did not start the violence. Videos published online also show the military attacks, running people over with armored vehicles. “The military justice system should never be used to investigate or prosecute civilians,” continued Amnesty Internationa. “Military courts are fundamentally unfair, as they deprive defendants of basic fair trial guarantees. In Egypt, military courts effectively deny defendants the right to appeal, limiting it to legal points without any review of the facts and evidence of the case.” Saber was arrested in 2006 for speaking out against the government of former President Hosni Mubarak. He was again detained and tortured in 2010. Fattah was arrested in 2006 as well. The summoning announcement on October 26 came on the same day that United States President Barak Obama called to urge the head of Egypt's ruling military council, Hussein Tantawi, to urge him to bring an end to the practice of trying civilians in military courts. BM
