CAIRO: Egyptian blogger and activist Hossam El-Hamalawy, television presenter Reem Maged and journalist Nabil Sharaf El-Din were released Tuesday after “chatting” with Military Prosecution.
Lawyers said no official investigation was opened with the three, who were summoned for questioning by the army Monday over statements made on Thursday’s episode of OnTV’s “Baladna Bil Masry” that were critical of the army.
Maged was only called in as a witness, one lawyer said after coming out of the Military Prosecution office.
El-Hamalawy, known as 3arabawy, was “just chatting” with officers and was asked to provide proof of the violations by the military which he spoke about on the show. He reportedly handed them all the documented violations and reports of abuses.
After taking over power from ousted president Hosni Mubarak, the army has faced criticism from human rights groups after trying hundreds of civilians in military courts. Amnesty International has said many protesters arrested during the 18-day uprising against Mubarak reported abuse by soldiers and is calling for an official investigation.
Around 100 protesters gathered outside Military Prosecution in Nasr City early in the morning, chanting against military trials of civilians.
El-Hamalawy told Reuters on Monday, “I got a phone call from a lieutenant colonel in the military media office informing me that I am summoned tomorrow before the military judicial authority over what I said on TV… last Thursday.”
El-Hamalawy’s friends set up a Facebook page showing excerpts of the satellite talk show in which he named a senior officer as responsible for violations committed by military police.
The summons riled the anger of activists and supporters on social networking websites, who quickly mobilized in solidarity with the El-Hamalawy, Maged and Sharaf El-Din.
“I have testimonies, videos and evidence of those violations that I will take with me tomorrow,” El-Hamalawy had told Reuters, adding that he saw the summons as “an arbitrary procedure.”
Late on Monday, he appeared on a program with Mahmoud Saad on Tahrir TV but was abruptly cut off when he said the army should be held accountable for its actions since it is playing a political role and receives funds from the national budget from taxpayers’ money. –Additional reporting by Reuters.
