Late Mohamed Gamal in front of the Pyramids (Photo:Facebook)
Following the murder of independent political activist Mohamed Gamal El-Din on Friday night in front of Egypt’s High Court in Downtown Cairo, a number of revolutionary activists have expressed concern about activists’ safety on the streets of the capital.
Gamal El-Din, 39, was stabbed in the back by an unknown assailant while on his way to the court building, where he had planned to participate in a sit-in protest being staged by judges.
The slain activist, who had been unaffiliated with any political parties, had taken part in numerous recent demonstrations and sit-ins in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.
Gamal El-Din’s friend, Bashir Baha El-Din, told Ahram Online that the last time he saw Gamal El-Din alive was at 11pm on Friday evening at Tahrir Square, following a march devoted to slain demonstrators. According to Baha El-Din, his friend had called him later that night to warn him that paid thugs were deployed in the flashpoint square and were threatening protesters.
Baha El-Din says he advised the ill-fated activist to leave the square, but that the latter declined to follow his advice. Baha El-Din says he did not learn of his colleague’s death until the following day.
Some activists have accused the Egyptian security apparatus of assassinating the activist. Some have suggested the existence of a systematic plan to kill revolutionaries, although no evidence has yet been produced to support this assertion.
Gamal El-Din’s murder comes only days after prominent activist Nawara Negm was attacked in front of the Egyptian State Television building in Cairo’s Maspero district.
Gamal El-Din’s family, for their part, have announced plans to bring lawsuits against all media agencies that reported that Gamal El-Din had been killed in a drunken bar brawl in downtown Cairo.
On Sunday, a number of websites reported that the slain activist had frequently been seen drunk. His supporters on social-networking websites have reacted angrily to the claims, describing them as an attempt to defame the image of political demonstrators.
According to sources close to the case, an official autopsy report will be presented to the public prosecutor’s office within 15 days.
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