Rough justice in Cairo clampdown

Egyptian prosecutors in Cairo have continued interrogations of 52 defendants, aft they were arrested in Tahrir Square and surrounding streets on charges of assaulting police officers and deliberately sabotaging property. Lawyers from Qasr al-Nil launched an investigation into 22 of the defendants, listening to testimonies and considering charges against them. 30 other defendants were meanwhile referred to prosecutors in Abdeen and Waili. “The defendants who were found guilty will be referred to criminal trial in the next few days,” a judicial source told Arabstoday. The source added that eyewitnesses have claimed demonstrators deliberately vandalised and torched buildings in the area, acts criminalised by Egyptian law. Attorney-General, Talaat Ibrahim, has meanwhile ordered the formation of regional prosecution offices -- in central, eastern, southern and western areas of Cairo -- to investigate clashes on Thursday and Friday that resulted in widespread fires and injuries amongst demonstrations and security ranks. One prosecution spokesman, Hassan Yassin, said: “There will be 60 prosecutors engaged in investigations, while other public prosecutors are visiting squares which have witnessed clashes recently to uncover the truth. Later, they will move to hospitals to hear statements from the injured.”