Saturday, May 31, 2014

Over 41,163 arrested & prosecuted since Sisi's coup

Mada Masr 
Over 40,000 detained and prosecuted since July, Wikithawra reports

Sunday May 25, 2014


41,163 people have been arrested and prosecuted since July, independent statistical database Wikithawra said in a report issued Sunday. The report reveals that only 4 percent of the arrests are connected to acts of terrorism, with 89 percent related to political participation. The report also states that 53 individuals detained within this period have died in custody.

The report documents the security crackdown that started with the removal of Morsi on July 3, 2013, until May 15 of this year.

It provides the most comprehensive count to date of all of those who have been arrested or faced judicial charges since Morsi's ouster, regardless of whether they were released later, convicted or are still on trial.

According to the portal’s count, 36,478 people were either arrested or have otherwise been persecuted legally as a result of participation in political events, 376 of which face trials in military courts.

An additional 874 individuals will undergo military trials for criminal charges, with 1,714 facing charges related to terrorism.

142 people have been arrested in protests calling for social demands, with 87 detained because of workers’ protests, and 415 having been arrested in sectarian events. Additionally, 1,453 people have been arrested for breaking curfew, which was enacted shortly after Morsi's removal, with no criminal charges.

The report indicates that the highest number of arrests occurring in one incident took place during the dispersal of Muslim Brotherhood protests on August 14, during which over 1,000 people were killed and 9,759 were arrested.

This is followed by clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and security forces, which took place on August 16, and in which 2,652 people were arrested. The third highest number of people detained in one incident occurred on the third anniversary of the January 25 revolution, when 1,532 were arrested, either on the spot or subpoenaed later in relation to the events.

The detained include 926 minors, 4,768 students and 166 journalists.

Wikithawra is an online portal that aims to document the events of the January 25 revolution since 2011.

*Photo of courtesy of Reuters

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