CAIRO: Activists are calling for a protest dubbed “Friday of Victory” on Feb. 18 in Tahrir Square, marking a week after president Hosni Mubarak stepped down and to reiterate their demands for democracy and justice. The protest also demands the rights of the injured and the martyrs and the release of all political detainees. For 18 days, from Jan. 25 to Feb. 11 hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets to demand the ouster of Mubarak and his regime, in addition to constitutional, social, and economic reforms that would grant freedoms and social justice. Tensions escalated in Jan. 28 or what was dubbed the “Friday of Anger” when a security crackdown on protestors led to 365 deaths and 5,500 injured, according to the latest statement issued by the Ministry of Health. Calls for million man protests mounted in the following days, leading to more promises of political reform by Mubarak. Mubarak's responses were met with escalating demonstrations reaching the Presidential Palace, which finally forced him to step down, handing over power to the Supreme Council of Armed Forces on Feb. 11. Efforts to reiterate the revolution's demands led to the formation of the Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution to maintain pressure to achieve the demands of the protests. The coalition includes members of the April 6 Youth Movement, Youth for Justice and Freedom, the Muslim Brotherhood, Public Independent Campaign for Supporting ElBaradei, the Democratic Front Party, in addition to other independent members. The group's members said in a note in their Facebook group that they aim to protect the gains of the revolution, demanding a period of six to nine months for a smooth and peaceful transition of power. –Daily News Egypt
