Statements were given on Sunday by the families of two killed in clashes this month between police and residents of the Meet Ghamr district, Cairo, according to the victims’ lawyer, Reda Mar’ei.
Investigations started following a report filed by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) to the public prosecutor, accusing the officers in the Meet Ghamr police department of two murders and an attempted murder, according to Mar’ei.
“Atef Al-Mansy’s wife accused the police officers Mahmoud Al-Gamal Mahdi and Karim Al-Bor’ei of torturing Al-Mansy to death,” Mar’ei told the Daily News Egypt, adding witness statements were also heard.
The prosecution also called for the attendance of Ramy Mohamed, injured in the clashes, yet the emergency hospital where Mohamed is staying said his condition did not allow him to appear, according to Mar’ei. Mohamed was shot in the throat during the incident.
“He’s considered both a victim and a witness to Al-Sayed Al-Adel’s death, as soon as he gets better, he shall be in the prosecution to testify” Mar’ei said. Al-Adel is the third victim, allegedly shot dead by the police.
Residents of Meet Ghamr are gathering signatures for a petition demanding the arrest of the police officers, especially Karim Al-Bor’ei, threatening further escalation of protests if their demands aren’t met, according to Mar’ei.
On Friday, a protest involving almost 5000 residents was held in Meet Ghamr. “The police used teargas to disperse the protester, yet it only managed to increase their number,” Mahmoud Nasser, founding-member of Al-Dostour party, which is involved in the Meet Ghamr protest, said.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) released a statement on Thursday accusing the officers in the Meet Ghamr police department of torturing and killing citizens on Sunday 16 September and Monday 17 September.
According to EIPR’s statement, the police raided a number of oriental cafes, beating their clients up and arresting some. The residents then rallied in front of the Meet Ghamr police station, denouncing the raid. The mother of Mohamed Abdel Latif, one café owner, was escorted by Al-Mansy to the station.
“He was taken in by the police forces who tortured him to death,” Mar’ei said, mentioning that Al-Mansy’s body was void of any gun wounds.
Al-Mansy was still alive when he came out of the station, though unconscious. He died on his way to hospital. Following Al-Mansy’s death, clashes erupted in front of the station, some police officers, including Karim Al-Bor’ei, Mahmoud Al-Gamal, Ahmad Farid and two other officers known to the witnesses as Karim and Mahdi, fired gunshots into the air before aiming at the protesters. They killed Al-Adel and gravely injured Mohamed.
The EIPR criticised the Ministry of Interior for saying the Meet Ghamr police department had arrested seven convicts with criminal records, and their families and associates attacked the department in an attempt to free them.
According to Mar’ei, one witness who testified on Sunday, Atef Abu Trad, stated to the prosecution that he was in the police department last Sunday night when he saw two of the seven convicts the Ministry had claimed to have arrested leaving the department with the ministry’s approval.
Mar’ei said, “he mentioned in his testimony that the families did not attempt to release any detainees.” Abu Trad, is also a member of the Freedom and Justice party in Meet Ghamr.