Political activist Mohannad Samir was shot in Tahrir Square Monday morning by a group of four unknown civilians, eyewitness Eslam Noureddin, told Ahram Online.
Samir, who was bleeding heavily, was hospitalised at Ahmed Maher Hospital.
"The doctors say his case is very similar to Jika's," Noureddin told Ahram Online.
Gaber Salah, known as 'Jika,' was killed in November, while taking part in the first anniversary of last year's Mohamed Mahmoud Street clashes. Jika died after being shot in the head and chest by a rubber bullet.
Eyewitnesses say that a red Dodge car drove to Tahrir Square around 6am. Four civilians alighted, chatted with some street vendors and then opened fire at random first, then reportedly they shot at Samir.
"But when they saw Muhannad, they targeted him; I believe this is intentional," Noureddin told Ahram Online.
April 6 Youth Movement member Samir's face and neck were hit by several rubber bullets.
"He was targeted because he is always at the front line in every protest," Noureddin told Ahram Online.
Another explanation for the shooting, according to Egyptian activists, is that Samir is the only eye witness in the murder of protester Ramy El-Sharkawy, who was allegedly killed by an army officer during the Cabinet clashes in December 2011. At least 19 were killed and hundreds injured on the night of 16 December when army forces violently dispersed a sit-in that had been staged since 25 November by hundreds of protesters at the Cabinet offices. The protest was against military rule and Kamal El-Ganzouri’s appointment as interim prime minister.
Samir was jailed for eleven months and was among 269 protesters who faced charges of assaulting military and police officials; burning and destroying the Scientific Institute next to the Cabinet offices; vandalising the Cabinet offices as well as surrounding buildings.
The Tahrir Square sit-in began in response to President Mohamed Morsi's Constitution Declaration on 22 November.
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