A Clear Video For What Happened in Qasr Al Einy Street

this video is shown what happened from the Military Forces in Qasr Al Einy street in front of the all world, in the latest clashes which happened between the Army Forces and the protesters in front of the Egyptian Cabinet

Battles rage as Egypt counts ballots

CAIRO — Egyptian soldiers hurled rocks, cement bricks and glass plates at protesters as the two sides battled in a second straight day of post-election violence that's left at least nine people dead and some 300 injured, according to official figures.

As hundreds of armored tanks stood watch over ballot counting stations in nine governorates for the second round of parliamentary elections, soldiers chased throngs of protesters through the streets in bloody confrontations near Tahrir Square and the Cabinet and parliament buildings.

Motorbikes carried protesters with blood gushing from fresh head wounds they sustained after a battle of flying rocks that continued for more than 12 hours.

Scores of infuriated protesters reacted by showering rocks and Molotov cocktails at two government buildings — the roads authority and the library of science — in which some soldiers had taken refuge. Both buildings caught fire Saturday morning, sending clouds of black smoke above downtown Cairo.

The violence has marred Egypt's first election since longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak left power in February, a widely praised vote last month that saw Islamist candidates and chiefly the Muslim Brotherhood score major victories. However, protesters continue to seethe at the interim military government for what they describe as violent tactics and a lack of political reforms implemented since Mubarak's ouster.

Protesters have begun documenting violence allegedly committed by the military, using social media websites to circulate photos and videos of what appeared to be a growing number of attacks on women. One set of photographs showed soldiers brutally beating and stripping a female protester. A video showed what appeared to be an army soldier in uniform urinating on protesters from the rooftop of the roads building.

"My female colleague fell while army soldiers chased us. I tried to protect her and they attacked us," said Nour Ayman Nour, an Egyptian activist who was detained and beaten by military officers.

Several local media outlets published photos of bruises covering Nour's body. Currently receiving treatment at a Cairo hospital after he was released from detention, Nour said he would file suit against the military for his injuries.

Among the dead was Sheikh Emad Effat, a popular religious scholar, who was reportedly shot in the head by military personnel in front of the parliament building, where he'd been protesting.

Thousands gathered for a funeral for Effat, who gained supporters among Egypt's young revolutionaries after he issued a fatwa, or religious decree, barring anyone from voting for former members of Mubarak's regime who were seeking parliamentary seats.

Hundreds of students also mourned Alaa Abdelhadi, a 22 year-old medical student who was killed a few hours before the Effat. Mourners from the two services joined together to march to Tahrir Square — epicenter of the anti-Mubarak uprising.

The head of the ruling military council, Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, announced that he "gave orders to treat all injured protesters at the expense of the government." The council said that it had taken all necessary measures to stop the violence, but also that it would build a cement wall to separate protesters and soldiers — a move not likely to dampen the tensions.


Witnesses reported soldiers burning tents and the belongings of protesters, fueling complaints that the newly appointed prime minister, Kamal Ganzouri, had failed to live up to pledges not to attack peaceful protesters. Demonstrators had blocked access to the Egyptian Cabinet for the past several weeks, forcing the government to move temporarily to a different location.

"What is happening on the street now is not a revolution; it is an attack on the revolution," Ganzouri said in a statement. He said that he had told a meeting of 350 demonstrators that his cabinet would seek the "salvation" of the revolution.

The liberal politician and political scientist Amr Hamzawy, who won a seat in the new parliament, filed suit against the government for the attacks on protesters. On his Twitter account, Hamzawy called on injured protesters to meet him at a police station in downtown Cairo to file injury reports.

Hamzawy condemned what he called the military's weak response to the crisis and demanded an end to violence against peaceful demonstrators as well as an official apology.

At least eight members of a civilian advisory council formed by the military resigned in protest against the violence.

After nightfall Saturday, military engineers constructed a huge cement barricade on Kasr el Aini street, which houses the parliament and is one of the main arteries leading to Tahrir Square. The cement wall is the second to be built by the military in less than five weeks.

"This reflects the military mentality, which undermines and despises the civilian mentality," said Nour, the injured activist.

(Sabry is a McClatchy special correspondent.)
Source :  McClatchy

A cameraman flees as Egyptian protesters threw rocks at military police

A cameraman flees as Egyptian protesters threw rocks at military police during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

An Egyptian protester flashes anti-military ruling council banner

An Egyptian protester flashes anti-military ruling council banner, as others throw rocks at military police during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. The Arabic banner reads " over my dead body if the military council rule us and welcome to be a martyer".

Egyptian protesters carry an injured man during clashes

Egyptian protesters carry an injured man during clashes with military police near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian army soldiers beat a protester wearing a Niqab

Egyptian army soldiers beat a protester wearing a Niqab, an Islamic veil, during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. At background graffiti depicts members of the military ruling council and Arabic reads: "Killer".

An Egyptian protester throws a fire bomb at military police inside Parliament building

An Egyptian protester throws a fire bomb at military police inside Parliament building during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian protesters use a metal sheet as a shield

Egyptian protesters use a metal sheet as a shield as they throw rocks at military police, unseen, behind the gates and inside the Parliament building near Cairo's Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. Arabic writing at top reads " Democracy is the guarantee power to people ".

Egyptian protesters threw rocks and firebombs at military police

Egyptian protesters threw rocks and firebombs at military police as another waves a national flag during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian army soldiers clash with rock throwing protesters

Egyptian army soldiers clash with rock throwing protesters near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian army soldiers clash with protesters over the Asr el-Nile

Egyptian army soldiers clash with protesters over the Asr el-Nile bridge near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers swept into Cairo's Tahrir Square on Saturday, chasing protesters and beating them to the ground with sticks and tossing journalists' TV cameras off of balconies in the second day of a violent crackdown on anti-military protesters that has left eight dead and hundreds injured.

Plainclothes policemen throw stones from the top of a cabinet

Plainclothes policemen throw stones from the top of a cabinet building during clashes with protesters near Tahrir Square in Cairo December 16, 2011. At least two people were killed and 100 wounded in Cairo on Friday as demonstrators fought troops in the worst violence since Egypt began its first free election in six decades. In a pattern that has recurred during nine months of army rule since President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February, the confrontation swiftly grew as more people took to the streets.

An Egyptian protester throws a stone toward soldiers

An Egyptian protester throws a stone toward soldiers, unseen, as a building burns during clashes near Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers swept into Cairo's Tahrir Square on Saturday, chasing protesters and beating them to the ground with sticks and tossing journalists' TV cameras off of balconies in the second day of a violent crackdown on anti-military protesters that has left nine dead and hundreds injured.

Egyptian protesters run as they are chased by army soldiers

Egyptian protesters run as they are chased by army soldiers over the Asr el-Nile bridge leading out of Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers swept into Cairo's Tahrir Square on Saturday, chasing protesters and beating them to the ground with sticks and tossing journalists' TV cameras off of balconies in the second day of a violent crackdown on anti-military protesters that has left eight dead and hundreds injured.

Army soldiers stand guard as protesters perform Friday prayers

 

Army soldiers stand guard as protesters perform Friday prayers near the cabinet near Tahrir Square in Cairo December 16, 2011. At least two people were killed and 100 wounded in Cairo on Friday as demonstrators fought troops in the worst violence since Egypt began its first free election in six decades. In a pattern that has recurred during nine months of army rule since President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February, the confrontation swiftly grew as more people took to the streets.

A protester wearing a head scarf that reads "Allah is the Greatest"

A protester wearing a head scarf that reads "Allah is the Greatest" throw rocks at army soldiers during clashes near the cabinet near Tahrir Square in Cairo December 16, 2011. At least two people were killed and 100 wounded in Cairo on Friday as demonstrators fought troops in the worst violence since Egypt began its first free election in six decades. In a pattern that has recurred during nine months of army rule since President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February, the confrontation swiftly grew as more people took to the streets.

A protester fires a sling shot at army soldiers

A protester fires a sling shot at army soldiers at the cabinet near Tahrir Square in Cairo December 16, 2011. At least two people were killed and 100 wounded in Cairo on Friday as demonstrators fought troops in the worst violence since Egypt began its first free election in six decades. In a pattern that has recurred during nine months of army rule since President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February, the confrontation swiftly grew as more people took to the streets.

Ahmed Harara: "Egypt is Impotant More than My Eyes"

Ahmed Harara

the Egyptian activist Ahmed Harara, the dentist who lost his left eyes in Friday 28 Jan, then he lost the right eye in the latest protests 19 November, was telling his story to CNN about losing his eyes, " I reached Tahrir square at early time about 3:00 AM then I joined the first lines with the protesters " he said.

he continued " my eyes has been injured by a rubber bullet, I fell down and I couldn't see anything around " .. then he said that one of his friends took him to the Field Hospital but they couldn't help him at the time so they took him to the hospital.

Harara continued " my eyes is not important more than Egypt ", he wished if he will be able to travel to Switzerland for cure, he assured that he was not belong to any political movement or any parties in the first revolution.

He added " I wish that the central security officer Mahmoud Sobhy El Shennawy will be punished for what he did with the Egyptians eyes " then he described him " Eyes Hunter ".

Mona El-Tahawy beaten and sexually assaulted by CSF

Mona El-Tahawy

Renowned Egyptian American columnist Mona El-Tahawy says she was subjected to physical and sexual assault at the hands of the Central Security Forces (CSF) after being arrested at Mohamed Mahmoud Street on Wednesday night. El-Tahawy is a New York-based columnist for Canada's Toronto Star, Israel's The Jerusalem Report and Denmark's Politiken.

El-Tahawy’s arrest was first known Wednesday night when she sent a tweet saying that she was beaten and detained. After several hours of silence, El-Tahawy tweeted again “I am free” and then began to speak of her terrible experience.

After arrest, El-Tahawy was moved to the Ministry of Interior’s where she waited for three hours before being interrogated by military intelligence officers while she was blindfolded. It was at this time that El-Tahawy was also sexually assaulted: “5 or 6 surrounded me, groped and prodded my breasts, grabbed my genital area and I lost count how many hands tried to get into my trousers.”
Mona said that she had to answer questions at first because she had no passport with her, but later refused to cooperate with the military intelligence as a civilian.

The military intelligence apologised for what CSF forces did to El-Tahawy, even recording her statement about the assault and taking photographs of her bruises before releasing her.

El-Tahawy shared a photo of her swollen hand and said that she was going to hospital for a checkup. According to x-rays, both her left arm and right hand are broken. El-Tahawy attacked the CSF on her Twitter account, calling them "bastards" and promising to write an article about her terrifying experience.

The El-Tahawy incident is not the first involving a journalist during the latest clashes in Tahrir Square. Many Egyptian and foreign journalists reported attacks by the security forces. Two reporters lost an eye, including Al-Masry Al-Youm photojournalist Ahmed Abdel Fatah.

Two days ago, Al-Akhbar Daily newspaper’s correspondent Sarhan Sanara in Alexandria was arrested by security forces during his coverage for clashes in front of the Alexandria security directorate and was badly tortured for hours there before being released.

The Journalists’ Syndicate issued a strong-worded a couple of days ago condemning the attacks on journalists and accusing the Ministry of Interior of targeting the media. The syndicate threatened to sue the ministry in case of any further attacks on journalists.

Source : Ahram

Military trials threaten Egypt's democracy

CAIRO — Through three decades of iron-fisted rule, Hosni Mubarak suspended the rights of 2,000 civilians and ordered them to face military tribunals in a campaign to crush the Islamist opposition that threatened his rule.

General Hassan El-Rewini 

The military courts, which were empowered by Egypt’s so-called Emergency Law, were seen as a violation of the Egyptian constitution and of international law and their use ignited a firestorm of criticism by human rights activists around the world.

Now in the aftermath of demonstrations against such human rights abuses that led to the toppling of Mubarak in February, Egypt’s ruling military council has hauled 12,000 civilians before similar military tribunals — six times the number under Mubarak in just 10 months, according to a report by Egypt’s leading human rights organization.

So it’s understandable that human rights activists in Egypt and abroad are asking what has really changed, and whether the ‘January 25 Revolution’ has ushered in a military coup that is far surpassing the Mubarak regime’s erosion of civil rights. On the eve of the November 28 election, a mounting anger directed against the military has triggered more protests and more violent crackdowns in and around Tahrir Square.

And the role of the military in a new Egypt is now perhaps the central question in the upcoming series of parliamentary elections and the process of adopting a new constitution.

“We thought it was a transitional period and the change is happening. We found out that the transition hasn’t even begun,” said Hossam Bahgat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which led independent investigations into violations committed by the military and police.

A leading presidential candidate Ayman Nour found that out the hard way. After a conviction on trumped-up charges related to signatures on petitions for his party which challenged Mubarak in the 2005 election, Nour lost his appeal on October 16. Now calling for a more independent judiciary, Nour has vowed to continue his political career even though a prison sentence hangs over his head.

“The use of military trials and emergency law is a threat to the fairness and transparency of the upcoming elections and unfortunately the military is using the same Mubarak policies we revolted against,” said Nour.

And throughout the nine months since Mubarak was toppled, the arrests of civilian protesters who are forced to face military tribunals is continuing at an aggressive pace. 

One political activist was arrested by military police on October 18 for taking part in the Black Circle Campaign sponsored by April 6 Youth Movement to highlight members of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party who are still running for the upcoming elections.

Ali El Halabi was arrested for painting graffiti, taken before military tribunal and awaits sentencing.

Mubarak’s military trials were used to crush an Islamist opposition and were only heard in cases of terrorism. Judgement was swift, there was no real process for appeal and sentences ranged between lengthy jail terms and death sentences.

SCAF has now broadened the use of military trials, putting civilians in front of the tribunals for unlawful gathering and a long list of charges like weapons possession, violating military facilities and attacking military personnel. Sentences are shorter,but affect many more civilians and their families.

General Hassan el Rowini, Commander of the Central Military and member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces indicated in June 2011 that military prosecutions are justified “because Egypt is ruled by the military, it is a military jurisdiction.”

After months of pressure by human rights activists and organization, the military softened its tone, but activists say its actions remain largely unchanged.

“Now they only apply military laws in cases of violations against the military, such as protesting in front of the military court or prison,” said Ragia Omran, lawyer and top officer of the “No Military Trials” movement, which produced the finding that more than 12,000 civilians have been brought before military tribunals since February 11 when the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) took power. “In other words, they are applying military laws on protesters and opinion holders.”

“Yes they are accepting appeals and less people are standing military trials,” she added. “But it remains a great violation to civil and human rights, even if it’s used against criminals.”

Despite the military’s decreasing use of military law to prosecute civilians, around 9,000 people remain in different prisons across Egypt serving military terms they were handed in the months following the revolution.

Members of “No Military Trials,” reported that hundreds of protesters were charged with violating military forces that were dispersing protests. They faced speedy trials which human rights activists say denied them due process and they received sentences of between 3 to 5 years in jail.

Abul Maati Ahmed, a 21-year-old martial arts champion was protesting with the rest of his family on Tahrir Square starting January 25. On February 3, he was arrested coming into the square and taken to the nearby Egyptian Museum, which was used by the security forces as a processing center for those arrested.

“We never knew where he was, his brother saw the officers arrest him but we never knew where they took him after,” said Ahmed Abu Arab, father of Abul Maati.

“We filed to the Military Prosecutor and we were informed on February 18 that he was sentenced to 5 years for assaulting the military,” said Abu Arab, the father.

Ahmed Abu Arab visited his son for the first time on February 20. At that time, the father learned that his son didn’t even know that he had been sentenced.

“He told us that he was never taken to court, he never saw a judge, he was shocked when we told him that he was sentenced to 5 years,” said Abu Arab.
Activists against military trials condemned the military prosecutors for the lack of proper and thorough investigations into the cases.

“Some of the trials took three days in total, from arrest and sentence, it is absolutely illegitimate,” said Omran of the “No Military Trials” movement.
Despite accepting some appeals, Omran points out that compensating those who are acquitted in their retrial was never a subject of discussion.

“They arrested my son and tortured him, they destroyed his life by their injustice. He is now a smoker in jail instead of a Kung Fu champion,” said Abu Arab.

“We called for a civil state during the ‘January 25 Revolution,’ said Omran. “And if we accept military trials we might as well accept the military in power for long years.”

(Correspondent Mohannad Sabry’s reporting for this story was supported in part by a grant to GlobalPost from the Ford Foundation.)

Source : Global Post