By Mai Shams El-Din
CAIRO: The Supreme Council of Armed Forces denied in its 45 statement Tuesday reports of recent detentions against activists and the January 25 youth.
“The SCAF will not hesitate to reinvestigate all detention cases against the youth who were arrested in unclear conditions,” the statement read.
The statement described the reports as rumors and confirmed that the army has always protected the revolution and will continue to do so until all its demands are achieved.
Meanwhile, families of detained youth who were arrested and tried in front of military courts say no steps were taken to reinvestigate the cases of their sons.
Mohammed Adel, a CitiBank accountant and a protester who was detained by the army on Jan. 28, was sentenced to five years in military prison with charges of attempted theft.
In its 29 statement released on March 28, the SCAF promised to investigate Adel’s detention case after his mother appealed to the SCAF.
According to his mother, Adel was protecting the Egyptian Museum from thuggery and looting when he was arrested by the army.
Daily News Egypt contacted Adel’s mother Nariman Ahmed on April 14 when the SCAF released another statement promising to investigate other detention cases, and she said that no steps were taken to release Adel.
“There is too much stalling from the SCAF’s side,” Ahmed told DNE on Tuesday.
“We filed an appeal against Adel’s detention 10 days ago because his signature is required on his appeals application, and now we have 60 days to officially present the appeal to the military prosecution,” she explained.
Ahmed says that the military prosecution will revise the appeal on day 61.
“That’s too much time … he was arrested, interrogated and tried in only few days. It is unfair to see my son slowly losing his future and his life,” Ahmed added.
Mona Seif, rights activist and member of the “No to Military Trials for Civilians” campaign, described the statement as “completely unclear.”
“The statement denied detention cases lately, but did not comment on previous detention cases,” Seif said.
“We do not know what rumors the army is specifically talking about,” she added.
