By Reem Abdellatif
CAIRO: Hundreds gathered Wednesday in Tahrir Square demanding the release of all detained activists, including those taken Sunday night after the commemoration of the Palestinian Nakba at the Israeli embassy in Cairo.
At the square, the heart of Egypt’s revolution, were the mothers, friends, and family of Tarek Shalaby and Mosa’ab Elshamy who were taken together when the protest at the embassy turned into a battle between protesters and security forces.
Tarek Shalaby and Mosa’ab Elshamy, young activists who took part in the January 25 uprising were among the 150 who were arrested from outside the embassy.
Nora Shalaby, Tarek’s sister, told Daily News Egypt that today was supposed to be their first trial hearing, but |the army didn’t even come, they didn’t bring them.”
Shalaby added that the military prosecutor has not set another trial date.
“Tarek, along with Mosa’ab and the others are charged with trying to break into the embassy and destroy public property, which is not at all what happened,” she said.
Over 350 protesters were injured and 150 were arrested late Sunday when military and riot police forces cracked down on a protest outside the Israeli embassy commemorating the Palestinian Nakba.
In its 55th communiqué, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces denied using live ammunition or force to disperse protests, saying the media deliberately spreads false information about the council.
“Only God knows the consequences if the [council used force or live ammunition],” the statement read.
The statement also added that the council is not under any kind of pressure to make any decisions, but that decisions are carefully studied and only has the country’s best interest at heart.
The council added that 120 people arrested on March 9 were given suspended sentences from six months to one year, referring to its 50th communiqué where it said it will reinvestigate their cases.
At the protest was Fatheya Ibrahim, the mother of an activist who was taken by the army on March 9.
“My son was beaten and taken the night of March 9,” Ibrahim said. “I want him to be released, he’s in bad shape and currently being mistreated, this is a good young man who did nothing but care for his country and sacrifice his life along with the other youth for Egypt’s revolution.”
Amr Ghonim, a young activist who was also at the Israeli embassy protest was demanding that the ruling army council along with the commander of the armed forces be removed for “betraying the revolution.”
