CAIRO: A lawyer representing the families of some martyrs in Alexandria told Daily News Egypt that the interior ministry has committed an illegal act by paying compensation to five of his clients to drop the cases against officers accused of the murder of peaceful protesters. According to media reports, nine of the martyrs' families in Alexandria dropped their lawsuit against six high ranking officers accused of the murder and attempted murder of protesters, after receiving LE 100,000 each in compensation. "This is completely illegal," lawyer Khalaf Bayoumi told DNE. "The ministry is taking money from the Egyptian people [taxpayer's money] to get its officers out of prison.” Bayoumi said he is going to file a complaint to the general prosecution against the interior ministry. He confirmed media reports saying that the families changed their testimonies in front of the prosecution, saying that they weren't sure who killed their children and that the attacks on peaceful protesters that occurred during the January 25 Revolution were random. "The rest of the martyrs' families are outraged by this development," Bayoumi said. He added that the families were coerced into accepting the compensation and changing their testimonies. "Officers intimidated the families and advised them to take the money, instead of leaving the trial empty-handed," he said. "They told them that the evidence against the officers was insufficient and that they would be released anyway." Daily News Egypt was unable to reach the interior ministry for comment by press time. Bayoumi said that five families had dropped the cases 10 days ago, denying media reports that Salafi leaders had a hand in mediating an agreement between the martyrs' families and the interior ministry. He said, however, that two months ago Salafi leader Yasser Borhami had suggested that the interior ministry pay the martyrs' families LE 500,000 in compensation in exchange for dropping the case. However, the ministry refused. Abdel Moneim Al-Shahat, a prominent Salafi scholar and the spokesman for the Salafi movement in Egypt, reportedly urged the martyrs' families to accept compensation and drop the cases. Head of Al-Azhar University, Osama El-Abd said on Wednesday that according to Sharia, martyrs' families may accept Islamic compensation (deyya), according to a report by the official Middle East News Agency (MENA). "Deyya is allowed according to Sharia to heal wounds and [help the families] turn a new leaf," El-Abd said on the sidelines of the inauguration of a research center in Alexandria. Ninety-three civilians were killed and 400 were injured in Alexandria alone during the protests, said Bayoumi. Clashes between protesters and police forces during the uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak left at least 846 dead and over 6,000 injured nationwide, according to a report issued by an official fact-finding mission.
