Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Al-Sisi urges accelerated oil, gas discoveries, lower import bill    SCZONE signs $52.6m textile industry deals during China investment tour    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage    Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



At least three arrested as activists protest against alleged torture
Published in Daily News Egypt on 02 - 06 - 2006

CAIRO: As the press rushed to encircle the newest big name to grace what had been an uneventful demonstration, the plainclothes policeman close by asked a reporter who the man was.
"Saad Eddin Ibrahim, the reporter answered the boy.
The plainclothes policeman went back to the line that had been drawn up in order to block anyone's entrance near the police station and told the general nearby whom that man was.
Ibrahim, a democracy advocate and head of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Human Rights, expressed his solidarity for the opposition movement, saying that the overwhelming police presence demonstrates the government's last straw left of power.
"They do not admit to anything, Ibrahim tells reporters. "You think they would want to admit that to their henchmen, he continues, referring to the alleged torture and sexual assault reported last week and what yesterday's demonstration was supposed to be about.
Asked why demonstrations are a useful tool, Ibrahim said that it is about the government's dismissal of the public.
"[The government] is no longer concerned with public opinion, neither domestically or internationally, he continues. "It is in my opinion that it [the government] is in its final stages of power and is consequently behaving in this sad way.
The demonstration, organized by human rights groups and the older activist generation, was seen by the usual activists as a timely thing that needed to be done.
"It's about time they got out and did something like this, says Bassem Khalifa, an activist, commending the older generation for showing persistence and a zeal to continue dissent.
While the demonstration did not manifest itself as had been hoped by some activists, there were still the arrests that have marked demonstrations in Egypt over the past few months.
According to Leila Soueif, mother of Alaa, the blogger currently being held, there were three arrests made.
"Nothing has really happened except the [police] came and arrested three people when we began our demonstration by the hotel, Soueif says, referring to the Four Seasons hotel in Garden City.
Emad Mubarak, Ayman Ayad and Adel El Mushad were arrested as the group of about 50 demonstrators began to march toward the Kasr El Nil police station. They were later released, according to activists' reports.
"There were about 50 of us as we began to march toward the police station when they took and arrested three of us, Ragia Showki, head of the Nadim Center for Torture, says. "That is when we broke off and headed our separate ways and some of us came here to see what is going on here.
Also being reported was the detention of an LA Times reporter. According to Khalifa, he was held for 15 minutes and had his camera smashed before they allowed him to leave.
Directly in front of the police station a group of approximately 20 foreign journalists stood in defiance as police attempted to move them away.
A security official who declined to give his name said that there were no permits for people to be present.
"There's no permit for a protest today for the demonstrators. There is no permit for the coverage by reporters, the security official says.
Although no journalists were roughed up in front of the police station, they were cordoned off by plainclothes policemen who then formed an impenetrable line guarding the entrance to the station.
"As you see, they arrested three. That's fine. What is important is that they felt that the people are taking a stand and that they have come despite all the barriers that were put in place at a distance of 2 kilometers, Ibrahim says, before they were released.


Clic here to read the story from its source.