Demos across Egypt press for release of political prisoners on Wednesday

Ahram Online , Sunday 5 Aug 2012

To mount pressure on President Morsi to release thousands of civilian protesters held in military prisons, the April 6 Movement calls for Egypt-wide protests on Wednesday

6 April
The 6 April Movement logo (Photo: Al-Ahram)

The April 6 Youth Movement calls for a large scale nationwide protest to press for the release of civilians detained in Egyptian military prisons.

Protesters are to meet at 8:00pm in Tahrir Square in Cairo on Wednesday, as well as in Fayoum, Mansoura, Damietta, Gharbeya, Tanta, greater Mahalla area and Kafr El-Zayyat.

The Ahmed Maher Front of the April 6 Movement stressed in a statement on Sunday the need for President Mohamed Morsi to release all those detained in military prisons based on "false charges" since the January 25 Revolution. 

Expected to also take part in the protests are the Salafyo Costa movement, No to Military Trials Campaign, April 6 Democratic Front, the Mobadara Movement, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party and the Free Egyptian Movement.

A total of 11,879 Egyptians have been detained by the military since last year's uprising, according to figures issued by a committee Morsi established to review all cases of civilians detained by military authorities. Of these, 9,714 have since been released. In July, 572 people were granted presidential amnesty on the occasion of Ramadan.

Activists continue to call on Morsi to immediately end military trials for civilians, to issue a general amnesty for all military detainees and compensate those who were tried in military courts.

On 28 July, the April 6 Movement organised a Ramadan iftar (a meal to break the fast during the month of Ramadan) in front of the Tora Prison to express solidarity with the detained protesters.

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