CAIRO: Activists accused the police of assault during their arrest on Tuesday, April 6 at the Downtown Cairo prosecution office, where they were gave testimony Saturday evening. The testimonies continued to roll out on Sunday by activists Asmaa Mahfouz, Jeanette Abdel Alim and Abdel Rahman Fares, who was arrested by police after giving his testimony. Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud opened an independent investigation into the police violations committed against April 6 activists during a peaceful march calling for an end to emergency law and constitutional amendments. Mahmoud's decision came a few hours after members of the April 6 Youth Movement demonstrated in front of his office and human rights groups filed a complaint calling for an investigation into the police assaults. Asmaa Mahfouz, spokesperson for the movement, told Daily News Egypt, "Following the Prosecutor General's decision, we went straight to the prosecution office in Downtown Cairo with 30 activists, who were injured during the police assault, so they can provide their testimonies. Around 40 other activists will give their testimonies later on. She added that in her own testimony, she accused Ismail El Sha'er, head of the Cairo Security Directorate, of giving orders to police to assault her and her colleagues. Ahmed Ragheb, spokesman of the Front for the Defense of Egypt's Protestors, which includes 18 human rights' organizations, told Daily News Egypt, "We presented video tapes, photographs and documents portraying the vicious assaults by the police against the protestors. He added, "We will ask the prosecution to open an independent investigation into the sexual assault incidents that occurred against activists by the police, during their detention. We will also demand a separate investigation into the assault of reporters attempting to cover the demonstration. Jeanette Abdel-Alim said that in her testimony, she asked for the testimonies of workers in a garage in front of Parliament to be included. "This is where security forces arrested me and where female members of the police force assaulted me in-front of the workers. Members of the April 6 Youth movement also called for the release of four activists - Mahmoud Awaad, Mohamed Nagi, Ahmed Abdel-Salam and Romani Sameul -who the movement claims are still in police custody, despite the issuance of a release order on their behalf by the Prosecutor General. On Saturday, activists raised banners during a demonstration in front of the Supreme Court. We will change the constitution and pave the way, read one of the banners, as the demonstrators repeated slogans against the Security Services criticizing the policies of the regime towards democracy advocates. Freedom and a loaf of bread are the demand of every honest Egyptian and Prison can t suppress an idea, oppression can t change what comes tomorrow, they chanted. Gamila Ismail, activist and TV presenter, who participated in the demonstration, told Daily News Egypt, We need to unite against police violence that is expected to increase in the coming period. She noted that assigning women to the police force is a new step which carries serious connotations and signals the launch of more arrests of female activists.
