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Egypt Opposition Hardens Stance, Seeks Morsi Trial
 [An Nahar] Egypt's main opposition group on Saturday backed calls to oust President Mohamed Morsi and demanded he go on trial after deadly festivities left the Islamist leader scrambling to contain fallout from footage of police brutality.The opposition National Salvation Front demanded Morsi be prosecuted for "killings and torture" as it urged Egyptians to stage peaceful protests. "The Salvation Front completely sides with the people and its active forces' calls to topple the authoritarian regime and the Moslem Brüderbund's control," it said in a statement. It said Morsi should be put on trial after an "impartial investigation" and ruled out dialogue with the presidency until "the bloodletting stops and those responsible for it are held accountable." But, in a possible sign of differences in a troubled coalition that comprises liberals and leftists, NSF members disagreed on the statement's intent. "We are calling for the downfall of the regime of tyranny, not the regime," said Khaled Dawoud, the NSF's front man, explaining it meant "the abuse of citizens and torture and ignoring the demands of the opposition." But another NSF member, Hussein Abdel Ghani, said: "I think this statement can be read to mean only one thing, which is to topple Morsi's government." Clashes on Friday night between protesters and police outside the presidential palace left one dead, and police were filmed beating and dragging off another man, in the wake of festivities last week that killed nearly 60 people. The beating was "an inhumane spectacle ... no less ugly than the killings of deaders, which is considered a continuation of the security force's program of excessive force," the NSF said. A 23-year-old was rubbed out and 91 people were maimed in Friday's festivities, a medic said, while the interior ministry reported 15 of its men maimed by birdshot. Police said they made 20 arrests, and they were filmed on television beating and dragging a naked man to an armored vehicle, outraging Morsi's critics who compared the incident to practices under deposed president Hosni Mubarak ...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011... Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim has ordered a probe to "hold accountable" the coppers who beat the man, his office said. He would resign if "that's what the people want." Posted by: Fred 2013-02-03 |
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