In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, 16 human right groups blamed Egypt's Interior Ministry for the clashes that took place in front of the Defence Stadium before a football match which left 20 dead.

"Groups signing the statement hold the interior ministry accountable for the deaths of at least 20 fans from the Zamalek club who died near the Defence stadium on Sunday while trying to attend a football match," the statement read.

It was also highlighted that the main reason behind deaths occurring on a near daily basis is "the impunity" of police forces that prevailed over the past four years.

The statement also added that "the absence of political will in the successive governments after the January 25 revolution to hold to account the perpetrators of human rights crimes," is the reason for frequent casualties and deaths in Egypt.

Among those who signed the joint statement were the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Hisham Mubarak Law center and many others.

The human right groups also stressed that "continuing the mass killings of civilians or Islamists while not holding the army or police forces to any kind of accountability will encourage citizens to implement the law for revenge and retaliation in the absence of the rule of law."

The statement also included the testimonies of eyewitnesses who were present during the clashes. Also included were official records from the Authority of Forensic Medicine showing some of the deceased were asphyxiated by tear gas.

At the end of the statement the right groups said "manifestations of police violence are a real threat to civil society peace."

On Sunday, the clashes reportedly started as police used tear gas to disperse members of the Ultras White Knights fan group in front of Cairo's Air Defence Stadium, a few hours before Zamalek played ENPPI in a top-of-the-table game.