CAIRO: Fifteen Egypt Telecom employees from the Midan Opera branch have begun an hunger strike in protest against the continuation of their colleagues' detention in police custody. The five are accused of attempted murder on the company's CEO, Mohamed Abdel Rahim, who was held hostage by the workers last Thursday after visiting the Midan Opera branch. The strikers were joined by others from the Ramsis Street, Luxor, Alexandria and Upper Egypt branches, who came to support the strike and demand the five workers' release and the resignation of Abdel Rahim. Protesters say they began their hunger strike Tuesday evening to pressure the minister of communications to dismiss Egypt Telecom's Board of Directors and investigate its leaders. They called for the investigation after a report from the Central Auditing Agency regarding violations of the company's general council. The protesters say their demands are not sectarian and they are not asking for an increase in salary but only to purge the company from remnants of Egypt's ousted regime. Those on hunger strike say their will not end their strike unless their demands are met. They say the dissolution of the management and the investigation will prevent further wasting of the company's funds, which in the long term will improve working conditions in the company.
