36 Families, Neighbors of Samalut Victim Detained Triggering Clashes

Security forces launched a campaign against Samalut residents, especially in Galaa” Street near Shari”i highway, detaining the relatives of the victim Mervet Adel-Salam who was killed by a police cop, according to her family.

Samalut residents said they were surprised when police forces broke into their homes at 1 a.m. yesterday assaulting them physically and verbally.  According to their estimates, at least 36 families were detained including a 14-year-old child and his father, who is a teacher, and three of his siblings, who are the cousins of the victim.

After a week of protests, the campaign came triggering the rage of families who went out to confront the police with gas-stove pipes and stones and block the Cairo-Aswan road, a matter which led security forces to besiege the area turning it into a military barrack.

Clashes broke out lasting for three hours between the families and police who were backed by the State Security and forces for combating riot.  Upon this, Minia Governor Major General Ahmed Diaa” El-Din and Security Head Major General Mohamed Hilal, and a number of Police Chiefs came to the site of the incident.

It was said that police had imposed a restriction on movement within the area until they were able to control the situation as a “punishment” for their protesting against the killing of the 32-year-old pregnant woman who, according to her family, died from hemorrhage after a cop hit her with his rifle because she stood in the way of police forces as they came to arrest her brother-in-law on charges of robbery. 

On its part, Hisham Mubarak Center had requested the Attorney General and Minister of Interior to dismiss the police forces who had committed these violations from work until investigations were complete.  The Center”s lawyers had also filed a complaint to the Minia Attorney General against the Minster of Interior, Minia Security Head, and Samalut Police Department Chief and Intelligence Head requesting an investigation into the violations committed against Mervet”s sister-in-law, Farhana Sayyid Riyad, and son, Sayyid Hussein Sayyid Riyad.