Riot police officers stand guard in front of the Cairo Security Directorate as hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the building in Cairo, Egypt, February 18, 2016 (Reuters)
Egypt’s interior minister told police officials on Friday that it has become necessary to firmly deal with some police elements that give the ministry a “bad name,” in the wake of a policeman shooting dead a taxi driver, a Saturday ministry statement read.
Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghafar added that the ministry is not and will not be a protector of those who do not “understand the message of security” and will not shield anyone who abuses his power or violates a citizen’s rights.
“The ministry will hold accountable all violators and will not tolerate these irresponsible acts that do not reflect the ministry’s policies,” the statement added.
Abdel-Ghafar ordered that all laws that address the treatment by policemen of citizens be amended ahead of being presented to parliament.
The minister met with his aides and some senior police officials following the Thursday street shooting and murder of a taxi driver by a lower-ranking policeman in Cairo.
The interior ministry said the shooting was "accidental."
A Cairo prosecutor ordered on Friday that the policeman be detained for four days pending investigations into the shooting.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with Abdel-Ghafar on Friday, ordering that “legislative amendments” be presented to parliament in response to the killing.
No further details were given on the nature of these legislations.
The incident comes on the back of a public fury over alleged abuses by police in recent weeks.
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