Hundreds of top Egyptian officers fired

Egyptian riot police throw stones at demonstrators during clashes close to the interior ministry in Cairo, Egypt, early Wednesday, June 29, 2011.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/188993.html

Hundreds of top Egyptian police officers have been dismissed in an effort to appease thousands of protesters who remain in Cairo's Liberation Square and continue their sit-in.

“The ministry ended the service of 505 generals, 82 brigadier generals, and 82 colonels, including those who were referred to the Criminal Court for the killing of protesters,” said Minister of Interior Mansour El-Essawy in a press conference Wednesday.

Twenty seven of the fired officers, comprising 18 generals and nine brigadiers, face charges of killing protesters during the 18-day uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's English newspaper The Daily News Egypt reported.

Forty four officers with lower ranks, being investigated over involvement in the killings, have been given administrative jobs.

Activists believe that the interior ministry should have taken the measure soon after the revolution.

“These moves should have been made by General El-Essawy by default, not because of the pressure of public opinion,” human rights activist Ramy Raoof said.

Essawy denied reports that said police snipers shot protesters during the revolution.

Meanwhile, protesters continued their sit-in in Liberation Square for the sixth day on Wednesday despite threats from the ruling junta that said it will do whatever it can to end the gathering.