The Qasr Al-Nil prosecution announced Tuesday that the killer of leftist activist Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh is in custody, but their identity will be revealed by Prosecutor General's office within days. Prosecutor Samir Hassan said that inspection of footage from security cameras near the incident area identified the killer, according to state-run newspaper Al-Ahram. The incident occurred when a peaceful protest arranged by the Socialist Popular Alliance Party (SPAP) on 24 January was dispersed by birdshot and tear gas. Al-Sabbagh was killed by birdshot. Eyewitnesses to this incident, including Nagwa Abbas, a member of the Political Affairs Office of SPAP, and Azza Suleiman, Chairman of the Center for Egyptian Women's Legal Assistance, were placed under arrest after testifying. This was due to their being accused of protesting without authorisation and attacking security forces. The prosecutor claimed that the accusations were based on the testimonies of the witnesses. They were later released following negotiations between the lawyers and the prosecution. The prosecution later detained Vice President of SPAP Zohdy El-Shamy, accusing him of carrying weapons during the protest, assaulting citizens and resisting security, before he was later released. Hassan refused to reveal information about the defendant, saying information will be released by the Prosecutor General's office, Al-Ahram reported. Analysed evidence of the fatal shooting of female protester Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh incriminates Egypt's security forces, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report published 1 February. The international rights watchdog believes that evidence gathered in the form of photographs, videos and witness statements prove that security forces are responsible for fatally shooting Al-Sabbagh with birdshot.
