The prosecution in the case of nineteen detainees arrested during presidential palace protests last Friday is now appealing the decision by the Helipolis Court today to release them. Lawyer for the accused Amr Iman confirmed also that the defendants will remain in custody until the appeal session on Wednesday. Protests at the presidential palace became violent as clashes between protesters and security forces erupted, leaving several injured. Investigations for the detainees resumed on Monday. They were accused of rallying and sabotaging public institutions. They were all arrested Friday night, referred to prosecution on Saturday, and sentenced to four days in jail, said their lawyer Fatma Serag. The 19 detainees included Abdel Moneim Amin, Student Union member at the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences at Cairo University, said Serag. She added that two minors were also detained; Sayed Hassan, 17, and Ahmed Gaber, 15. Abdel Moneim Ahmed, another detainee, was held in jail despite a leg injury sustained due to birdshot. Facebook activist Nermeen Hussein was the only female among the detainees. Hussein is the administrator of a prominent Facebook page, ‘Then we revolted'. A protest was held outside the Heliopolis Court building during the investigation. Protesters, mostly gathered in solidarity with Hussein, chanted for the detainees' freedom.
