Egypt’s Morsi accused of complicity in protest deaths

Egyptian women from the Muslim Brotherhood shout slogans and hold portraits of ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, as they gather in Cairo to attend a march in his support on August 11, 2013

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/19/319523/morsi-charged-over-protest-deaths/

Ousted Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, has been accused of complicity in the deaths and torture of demonstrators outside his presidential palace in 2012, judicial sources say.

On Monday, Egypt’s prosecution extended Morsi’s detention for another 15 days which starts from next week. He already stands accused of crimes related to his 2011 escape from jail.

In December 2012, violent clashes erupted between Morsi’s supporters and opponents in the capital, Cairo, after he issued a controversial constitutional declaration in November of the same year to expand his powers.

On December 5, five people were killed in the clashes between backers and opponents of Morsi in the capital.

Earlier in July, a court in the Arab country ordered Morsi's detention over allegations of collaboration with Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, “to undertake aggressive acts in the country, as well as attacking police facilities, officers and soldiers.”

On August 12, the Egyptian Judiciary extended the Morsi’s detention pending an inquiry into his alleged links with Hamas.

Morsi was due to be questioned on whether he collaborated with Hamas in attacks on police stations and prison breaks in early 2011, when he and some members of the Muslim Brotherhood escaped from jail during a revolution against the regime of former dictator, Hosni Mubarak.

Hamas reacted to the allegations on July 26 and condemned Morsi’s detention, saying “it is based on the premise that the Hamas movement is hostile.”

The movement’s spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri, noted, “This is a dangerous development, which confirms that the current powers in Egypt are giving up on national causes and even using these issues to deal with other parties - first among them the Palestinian cause.”

Egypt plunged into chaos after the head of the country’s armed forces, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, ousted Morsi on July 3, suspended the constitution and dissolved the parliament.

Shafiq HQ in Cairo set on fire

Egyptians held a demonstration to protest against the results of the first round of the presidential election in Cairo on May 28, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/05/29/243576/shafiqs-hq-in-cairo-set-on-fire/

Thousands of Egyptians have staged an anti-Ahmed Shafiq demonstration in Cairo and some protesters set fire to the Egyptian presidential candidate’s campaign headquarters in the capital.

An annex of Shafiq's headquarters in Cairo was torched late on Monday, AFP reported.

"We were inside when they attacked us," said one campaign staff member of Shafiq, a former prime minister under the ousted regime of Hosni Mubarak. "They set fire to the garage that had General Shafiq's campaign literature."

Firefighters later said that the fire was quickly brought under control.

Meanwhile, on Monday several thousand people demonstrated across Egypt to protest against the results of the first round of the presidential election.

Earlier in the day, the Egyptian electoral commission confirmed that the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi would face Shafiq in the second round of Egypt's presidential election on June 16 and 17.

Electoral commission chief Faruq Sultan announced the results of the presidential election, saying Morsi had won 5,764,952 votes or 24.77 percent of the ballots cast, while Shafiq garnered 5,505,327 or 23.66 percent of the vote.

Many Egyptians are outraged that former regime officials are even allowed to run for posts after the revolution.

The Egyptian newspaper Al-Akhbar has reported that the Supreme Constitutional Court is expected to rule on June 11 in a landmark case examining the constitutionality of a law disallowing Mubarak-era officials from running for office.

Earlier this week, the Muslim Brotherhood urged Egyptians to rally behind their presidential candidate in the June run-off, warning the country would be in danger if Shafiq won.