More Bodies Found Near Raba’a al-Adaweya | Leaders of Wasat Party Arrested


The National Defense Council warned “decisive and firm” action would be taken against protesters if they overstep their rights to peaceful expression of their opinions. This statement follows the announcement Saturday of the Interior Ministry’s intent to recreate the secret political police units disbanded in March 2011. Notably, Tamarod’s earlier strong condemnation of this announcement was somewhat walked back today as the protest campaign acknowledged “the burden [posed by the Muslim Brotherhood] on the Interior Ministry and the state.”

Morsi supporters called for protests at security administration buildings on Monday night and a “million-person march” on Tuesday. The Anti-Coup Alliance urged supporters to take to the streets to regain their freedom and for the rights of “martyrs assassinated by [the bloody coup’s] bullets.” In response, the military dropped flyers from aircraft over the pro-Morsi Raba’a al-Adaweya sit-in arguing against approaching military buildings. Despite this, the protests on Monday night included a march of several thousand people from Raba’a al-Adaweya toward the headquarters of military intelligence. Demonstrators yelled chants like “Down with military rule!” and “Our blood and souls we sacrifice for Morsi!” Marchers towards other security installations carried empty coffins to symbolized those killed in prior demonstrations.

An official security source stated that 11 dead bodies were found near the Raba’a al-Adaweya sit-in with signs of torture. Another 10 people claimed to have been tortured in the sit-in camp after being accused of being “infiltrators.” In Ismailia, 17 people were injured in clashes between Morsi and military supporters. Another attack in Rafah, North Sinai, led to the death of 22-year-old Army conscript Mohamed Mahmoud Ali, killed by a shot to the head. The attack left eight others injured.

Egyptian authorities arrested the president (Aboul Ala Maadi) and vice president (Essam Sultan) of the Wasat Party, a moderate Islamist group. The state prosecution once again ordered the arrest of Islamist preacher Safwat Hegazi along with 72 other individuals regarding Saturday’s violence near the Rabaa al-Adaweya sit-in. In Alexandria, a prosecutor issued arrest warrants for a total of 177 people for violence in and around the Qaed Ibrahim Mosque and the Biblioteca Alexandrina.

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton met with both Defense Minister al-Sisi and the Muslim Brotherhood today to urge an inclusive political process and an end to violence. Josh Earnest, a spokesperson for the White House, repeated the United States’ condemnation of the weekend’s violence in Egypt, though no further developments related to U.S. aid to Egypt in response were mentioned.

Unrelated to any protests, 15 people were killed in a fight between two families in Cairo. 13 of the dead were killed in a fire set in immediate revenge for the deaths of two merchants who apparently were selling their goods outside of another person’s shop.