Two women arrested from their house in Qasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo on Saturday evening were released on Monday.
The women, whose laptops were confiscated during their arrest, were accused of attacking security personnel with Molotov Cocktails and possession of a drug resembling cannabis, their lawyer Amr Imam stated. They were arrested without an arrest warrant under the pretext that they were caught red-handed.
They were referred to prosecution Sunday. Imam stated the prosecutors believed their side of the story. “The will be released today; it’s only a matter of time,” Imam said Sunday. The women were not released until printing time.
“None of the conditions of red-handed arrest were met in the women’s case,” Imam said. He stated that they were watching the clashes between the police and protesters from the balcony of their house and taking photos. A central security officer spotted them and threatened to arrest them. The women reportedly rushed inside. Five minutes later, their house was raided by detectives from Qasr Al-Nile police station and central security forces.
“We will file a report accusing the police forces of illegally breaking into the women’s house,” Imam said. He added that their arrest was illegal since it lacked an arrest warrant.
The women are Amira Abdallah, a television editor, and Amira Al-Asmar, Directing student at the American University in Cairo. Both were investigated at the Abdin police station.
Another detainee investigated at Abdin police station was political activist Mohamed Fahmy. Fahmy was arrested on Saturday dawn in the vicinity of Abdin police station. He was accused of possessing a homemade firearm; an accusation which he denied. Referred to prosecution on Saturday, Fahmy’s detention was renewed for four days.
“Fahmy is a prominent activist whose been targeted by the police,” Imam, who was also defending Fahmy, said. A member of No Military Trials Movement and the Front for Defending Egypt’s Protesters, Fahmy was briefly detained then acquitted in April, 2012.
The Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) documented 56 arrests in Cairo alone. 24 detainees were referred to Al-Waily prosecution Saturday, whereas 23 were to be referred to Qasr Al-Nile prosecution Sunday.
“One detainee was referred to Al-Ezbakeya prosecution,” Rawda Al-Sayed, director of the legal support unit in ANHRI, said, adding that he was detained for four days and that his trial is expected to take place within two days. “He is accused of stealing a computer monitor from Muslim Brotherhood news website Ikhwan Online’s headquarter.”
Six were arrested in front of the Qasr Al-Nile police station Friday. They were detained for four days; their detention is expected to be renewed Sunday. The six detainees are allegedly Black Bloc members, Al-Sayed stated.
In Tanta, Gharbeya, 13 were arrested on Friday, while 11 were arrested in Mahalla, stated political activist Islam Molda, who is currently in Tanta. Both sets of detainees were referred to prosecution Saturday.
Those in Tanta were charged with sabotaging public property and spreading violence. Investigation resumed Sunday, when police officials testified that though the police station was sabotaged, they couldn’t confirm whether it was the detainees responsible for the sabotage.
“Lawyers following up with the detainees were unofficially notified that their detention was renewed for four days,” Molda said. He added that the Attorney General has postponed the official decision until the local administrative building, where the detainees are currently held, is evacuated of all employees and protesters. Dozens of protesters gathered in front of the building Sunday morning, in solidarity with the detainees.
Molda stated the detainees are illegally kept in custody. “The warden told me doesn’t possess an official warrant from the Public Prosecution ordering their detention,” Molda claimed. Article 35 of the recently-enacted constitution states that detainees should be informed (through a written document) of the reason for their detention within 12 hours of their arrest.
Two members of the Social Popular Alliance Party (SPAP) were allegedly kidnapped by Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) members in Minya on Saturday. SPAP spokesperson Tahani Lashin stated that the kidnapped members Ashraf Sayed and Mahmoud Mustafa were attacked by the FJP members then handed over to the police. They are accused of burning FJP headquarters.
Meanwhile in Damanhour, Beheira, four were arrested Saturday night from a coffee shop for possessing documents stolen from the FJP headquarter there. Mohamed Abul Ella, head of Al-Dostour Party’s legal committee, stated that two of those arrested were Al-Dostour party members.
He added that they were arrested after Muslim Brotherhood member Mohamed Nagui reported on them. They accused him of verbally and physically attacking them. Nagui is allegedly Gamal Heshmat’s, Shura Council member, secretary.
“They were given the documents by an anonymous passerby,” Abul Ella said. He added that after the headquarter was attacked, documents found inside it were thrown in the street. Abul Ella claimed the documents include Muslim Brotherhood plans of infiltrating the police in Beheira. The four arrested include: Osama Al-Sa’I (prime suspect), Saeed Seneidaq, Ahmed Battour and Mohamed Ashraf.
Violence spread across the country following protests held Friday in commemoration of the January 2011 revolution’s second anniversary.
