(AFP File Photo)
By Mariam Iskander
Attorney General of the Supreme State Security Prosecution Hisham El-Qarmouti ordered on Saturday the release of eight detainees accused of being members of the Black Bloc group.
The eight detainees were arrested in early morning police raids on their homes in April after the prosecutor general issued arrest warrants for 22 alleged Black Bloc members.
According to one of the defence lawyer, Ragia Omran, the release was a result of pressure exerted by the more than 25 defence attorneys in the New Cairo courthouse.
“The lawyers exerted pressure on the attorney general and asked him to bring in the detainees to stand in front of the court,” he said. “A while later a release was ordered for the eight detainees.”
Demonstrators held a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Interior in solidarity with the detainees before moving the protest outside the New Cairo court, according to 6 of April Democratic Font spokesperson Mustafa Al-Hagary.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution had extended on 16 May the detention of the eight detainees accused of being Black Bloc members by 15 days.
