CAIRO: Amnesty International called yesterday for the release of more than 20 demonstrators including two prominent female activists detained in June for defying Egypt’s controversial law on protests.
Security forces arrested the group on June 21 after dispersing a demonstration near Etihadeya presidential palace in Cairo calling for the release of political detainees and scrapping of the law.
Among those held were women’s rights defender Yara Sallam, who Amnesty said did not even take part in the protest, and activist Sanaa Seif, who has been on hunger strike since August 28.
Amnesty described the detainees as “prisoners of conscience”.
“The case provides the latest proof of the Egyptian authorities’ determination to quash peaceful protest and stifle all forms of dissent,” said Philip Luther, head of Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. “No one should be detained for peacefully exercising the right to freedom of expression and assembly.”
Luther called the charges against Sallam “farcical”, suggesting she had been detained because of her human rights work.
A day after the arrests, one defendant was released and a minor had his case referred to a juvenile court. The trial of the remaining 22 defendants is due to begin today.
Saudi beheads three in Riyadh
rIYADH: A Saudi and an Iraqi convicted of murder and a Saudi convicted of drugs trafficking were beheaded in Riyadh yesterday, the interior ministry said.
Fahd Al Said and Iraqi Abderrahman Al Muaissab were found guilty of causing the death of Hossa bin Abid by breaking into her home, attacking her and tying her up so they could rob her, a ministry statement reported by state news agency SPA said.
In the other case, Saudi Saad Al Oteibi, a repeat offender, was executed for bringing “a large quantity of amphetamines” and hashish into the kingdom, the ministry said.AFP
