Minster of Culture Mohamed Saber Azab yesterday tendered his resignation. Mr Azab said he was quitting the Cabinet in protest against the hideous violence on the street practised by the police against Egyptian demonstrators, and the killing of protestors. Prime Minister Hisham Qandil, however, has not yet accepted the Culture Minister’s resignation
Minster of Culture Mohamed Saber Azab yesterday tendered his resignation. Mr Azab said he was quitting the Cabinet in protest against the hideous violence on the street practised by the police against Egyptian demonstrators, and the killing of protestors. Prime Minister Hisham Qandil, however, has not yet accepted the Culture Minister’s resignation
The violence reached shocking proportions last Friday with the brutal beating of the demonstrator Hamada Saber, 50, who had been stripped naked, and repeatedly thrashed to the ground. The 1.4-minute live footage of the incident, which was broadcast on al-Hayat satellite channel, gave rise to a national wave of shock, rage, and condemnation. The presidency described the footage as “shocking” and prompted the Interior Ministry to order a rare investigation.
Another incident that added to the public outrage was the death on Sunday of the activist, Mohammed al-Guindi, 28, who died in custody. Guindi had been arrested in Cairo’s Tahrir Square last month after joining protests demanding change on the second anniversary of the country##s uprising. Guindi’s body bore evidence of savage torture that in all probability brought about his death.
Shura Council member Maged Aqad also quit his seat in the upper house of Egypt’s parliament last Sunday, again in protest against the rampant police violence against demonstrators. Aqad, one of the council members appointed by the president, said his resignation also came in protest of the overall performance of the council, which Aqad described as undemocratic.
Watani International
5 February 2013
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