(Photo by: Mohamed Omar)
Three detainees arrested for attempting to torch the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Moqattam were released on an EGP 500 bail on Wednesday.
Eight people were arrested by Muslim Brotherhood members alongside the police on Sunday hours after the prosecutor general highlighted a law that allows citizens to arrest those who vandalise public and private property, block roads, and prevent public officials from carrying out their duties, among other crimes.
Ahmed Samir, Alaa Sharara and Hossam Yasser’s interrogation was resumed at Bab Al-Khalq court on Wednesday. They were arrested, alongside five other men, near the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Moqattam on Sunday. The five other men were released on Tuesday on EGP 500 bail.
Samir is a member of Al-Dostour party. He is also the sole eye-witness to the killing of political activist Gaber “Jika” Salah. Jika was killed during clashes which erupted in the vicinity of Tahrir Square during the first anniversary of the Mohamed Mahmoud clashes in November.
A protest was held on Wednesday morning outside Zeinhom Court in solidarity with the three detainees. When the detainees’ interrogation was moved to Bab Al-Khalq court, protesters followed the case to the new location.
Ahmed Magdy, an Al-Dostour Party lawyer, said the detainees are accused of attacking the Brotherhood headquarters in Moqattam and attempting to torch the building. Magdy said there was no truth to these allegations. Ahmed Abdel Rahman, Al-Dostour Party member who accompanied the detainees during their interrogation, stated that they were arrested by Muslim Brotherhood members alongside policemen.
“Those who arrested them did so without the possession of arrest warrants,” Abdel Rahman said. He said that their arrest was an implementation of the citizen arrest laws highlighted by the prosecutor general.
The prosecutor general released a statement on Monday denying having granted citizens the ability to arrest outlaws. “The statement only highlighted the presence of Article 37 of the Criminal Procedures Code, which gives citizens the right to hand over any red-handed criminals to the police,” Monday’s statement read, referring to a law issued in 1950.
