(AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI)
The Prosecutor General’s appeal against the release of 23 of the Shura Council detainees was overruled on Wednesday. The detainees were released on EGP 5000 bail. However, Ahmed Abdel Rahman will complete his 15 day detention which began on 1 December.
Malek Adly, head of the Criminal Justice Unit at the Egyptian Centre of Economic Rights and Social Rights (ECESR), said that the bail amount is “too much”.
Abdel Rahman was in possession of a melee weapon (a knife) at the time of his arrest and was not participating in the protest. According to Mahmoud Belal, Adly’s deputy and one of the defence lawyers, Abdel Rahman was the only one arbitrarily arrested. Belal told the Daily News Egypt on Tuesday that Abdel Rahman was carrying the knife because he works as a chef.
The detention of Abdel Rahman will be appealed on Thursday.
The appeal against the release of the Shura Council detainees was held at the Non Commissioned Police Officers Institute in Tura.
Adly said: “It is shameful to be tried by the interior ministry and the location of the trial would be in a police facility under the claim that they are unable to secure it elsewhere.” He criticised the ministry and added that this is an extreme measure for both the detainees and their lawyers.
A number of protesters were arrested during the No Military Trials protest in front of the Shura Council on Tuesday 26 November. The precise number of those arrested is unknown. However, only 24 male detainees faced prosecution while the rest, which include famous female activists, lawyers and journalists, were released.
The 24 detainees were accused of blocking roads, assembly, protesting without a permit, acquiring melee weapons during a protest and attacking and injuring a public servant and stealing his personal wireless device.
