Friday, November 29, 2013

Egyptians on streets to defy new protest law


Since he was toppled in July, Morsi's supporters have been staging near-daily protests [AP]
 
Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Egypt and clashes erupted when police tried to break up some of the demonstrations, days after a hotly-disputed protest law was adopted.
Violence between police and protesters broke out in the country's second largest city, Alexandria, after Friday prayers, with security forces firing tear gas to disperse hundreds of people.
The Mediterranean city has been tense since a court handed down heavy sentences of 11 years in prison to 21 female supporters of the deposed president Mohamed Morsi, many of them juveniles, for holding a peaceful protest.
The court issued the ruling on Wednesday, weeks after the women and girls were arrested during a protest demanding the reinstatement of Morsi, who was ousted by the military on July 3. The youngest girl is 15-years-old.
The verdict came as security forces began to crack down on small protests, implementing the new law by putting heavy restrictions on protests.
One person was killed and several injured on Thursday during a crackdown on a students protesting the harsh sentences - which have infuriated many Egyptians - in the capital Cairo.

On Friday, hundreds of mourners joined the funeral procession for the dead man, Mohamed Rewda, who studied at Cairo University.
Near-daily protests
Since July, Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been staging near-daily protests calling for his reinstatement, with Friday's weekly Muslim prayers a key time for mobilising their largest numbers.
The rallies have often descended into street clashes with security forces or anti-Brotherhood protesters.
In an effort to quash the rallies, authorities adopted the controversial law restricting the right to protest.
Among other rules, it requires organisers to notify the Interior Ministry three days before holding a demonstration, while also setting prison terms and high fines for violators.

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