CAIRO: Eighteen people were arrested for clashing with police forces in the town of Samalut as the fall-out from the death of the pregnant Mervat Abdel-Sattar continues.
Those arrested were charged with a series of transgressions, including resisting arrest, rioting and assaulting police officers. The latest clashes occurred when police forces attempted to arrest two members of Abdel-Sattar’s family on charges of theft.
Two policemen were injured in the clashes and another police aide is in critical condition.
Abdel-Sattar, 30, died after police raided her apartment in the early hours of the morning last week searching for her brother-in-law who was wanted on suspicion of theft. After her death, hundreds of people rioted, attacking policemen with rocks and sticks.
Her husband, Hassan Sayed Riyad, submitted a complaint against Officer Ahmed Anwar blaming him for his wife’s death.
Riyad has also submitted a complaint to the Ministries of Interior and Justice against Anwar and the four accompanying lower ranking policemen for their culpability in Abdel-Sattar’s death.
Police also arrested two other relatives of Abdel-Sattar for impeding the police force while carrying out its duties as well as aiding and abetting the escape of wanted criminals.
The District Attorney for North Minya Mohamed Aboul Saoud said that authorities were waiting for the results of the forensic pathology report before deciding whether to level charges against Anwar.
Riyad said that he too was waiting for the results of the forensic report before deciding his next move and insisted that he would bring justice for his wife even if it will cost him his life.
Riyad had complained that the police officer and the four others were not suspended and are still on active duty.
In response to this Aboul Saoud said, “This is a police officer who has an obligation towards his job. We will not suspend him until we have reason to. We must remember that he too is a human being who has a family. We cannot suspend and charge him now only to possibly find out later that he was not responsible.
“We are dealing with the matter impartially, he added, “we must wait until we ascertain what happened and then if he is culpable we will charge him.
Anwar has been temporarily transferred to another district until the case is resolved.
