Egypt prosecutor orders arrest of 2 leading activists
An Egyptian prosecutor has ordered
the arrest of two prominent activists for inciting protests, a source in
the prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.
The arrests of Ahmed Maher, the Head of the April 6 Youth Movement,
and Alaa Abdel Fattah, were ordered after they took part in
demonstrations outside parliament on Tuesday, defying a new law
restricting protests.
Twenty-four other activists were detained on Tuesday for four days, pending investigation of allegations of thuggery, attacking public employees, stealing wireless devices and protesting without permission from the Interior Ministry, the source said.
Four female activists who were detained were released along a desert highway, said a security source.
The new law, passed by the army-backed government on Sunday, angered some Egyptians and human rights groups who described it as a major blow to freedom in the most populous Arab country.
Egypt had experienced some of its worst civilian violence in decades after the army, prompted by mass protests, ousted the country's first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi in July.
It had since introduced a political roadmap meant to lead to new elections next year.
Liberals and activists, who backed Morsi's overthrow, were now becoming more vocal against the military, which backed a security crackdown against Islamists.
Hundreds have been killed and more than 2,000 arrested, including Morsi and the leadership of his Muslim Brotherhood group, which won every election since Mubarak's downfall.
Pro-democracy activists have called for new demonstrations in central Cairo on Wednesday to focus attention on the law.
The government said it was not opposed to peaceful protests but it wanted to restore order in Egypt.
Twenty-four other activists were detained on Tuesday for four days, pending investigation of allegations of thuggery, attacking public employees, stealing wireless devices and protesting without permission from the Interior Ministry, the source said.
Four female activists who were detained were released along a desert highway, said a security source.
The new law, passed by the army-backed government on Sunday, angered some Egyptians and human rights groups who described it as a major blow to freedom in the most populous Arab country.
Egypt had experienced some of its worst civilian violence in decades after the army, prompted by mass protests, ousted the country's first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi in July.
It had since introduced a political roadmap meant to lead to new elections next year.
Liberals and activists, who backed Morsi's overthrow, were now becoming more vocal against the military, which backed a security crackdown against Islamists.
Hundreds have been killed and more than 2,000 arrested, including Morsi and the leadership of his Muslim Brotherhood group, which won every election since Mubarak's downfall.
Pro-democracy activists have called for new demonstrations in central Cairo on Wednesday to focus attention on the law.
The government said it was not opposed to peaceful protests but it wanted to restore order in Egypt.
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