Egypt: Clashes erupted during Friday Islamist rallies

Small Islamist rallies in Egypt
(Image: The Daily Mail)

Friday Islamist rallies planned by the ultra-conservative Salafi group all over Egypt failed to drive huge crowds of protesters, though they turned violent as protesters clashed with police in Cairo and in some other Egyptian cities as well.

Security measures were tightened in Cairo and in Egypt nationwide ahead of the planned protests aimed to gather thousands of demonstrators in order to protest for “preserving and saving Islamic identity” of Egypt and to protest against ouster of the former President Mohamed Morsy.

Egypt: Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi sworn in as Egypt’s new President

Egypt's new President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi
(Image: Daily News Egypt)

After an impressive victory in Egypt’s second presidential elections since January 25Revolution has ousted a long-time leader Hosni Mubarak former Head of SCAF (Supreme Council of Armed Forces) and Egypt’s former Defense Minister Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has sworn in as a state’s President on Sunday, 8 July.

The official ceremony of inauguration of Egypt’s second democratically elected President was held in Cairo, first at the Supreme Constitutional Court and then in two Presidential Palaces, where power was officially transferred to the new state’s leader.

El-Sisi’s inauguration ceremony started in afternoon as Egypt’s new President arrived in the Supreme Constitutional Court, where the official results of the elections were announced and Abdel-Fattah El-Sissi has sworn in as a new President, vowing to restore Egypt’s stability and role in the world and bring Egyptians prosperity and development.

Egypt votes for its new President since Mohamed Morsy’s ouster

Egyptians head to the polling statins to vote for the new
President
(Image: Reuters)

On Monday 26 May Egyptians headed to the polling stations throughout the country in a first presidential election since the Muslim Brotherhood backed President Mohamed Morsy was ousted by military in July 2013 after the massive anti-Morsy protests. This elections was expected to be attended by an unprecedented number of Egyptians, as the long period of transition brought many internal economic, social and security problems for the country, and people of Egypt really seek stability and development.

Egyptian former Defense Minister General Abdel-Fattah El-Sissi was a favorite of the presidential campaign, as he enjoyed an overwhelming support of many Egyptians in Egypt and abroad and is associated in the minds of many people with the possibility to restore stability and order in the country and to eliminate the negative consequences of the previous period of Muslim Brotherhood rule, which many Egyptians see as a failure now.

Egypt hit by four explosions this Friday as pro-Morsy demonstrations are ongoing

The scene after blast in Cairo Ramsis street
(Image: Al-Arabia)

Egypt was hit by the four explosions on Friday, 2 May, which left at least four people killed and several wounded.

The first explosion hit a road police check point in Cairo’s Masr El-Gedida (Heliopolis) district, killing one low ranking officer and injured four soldiers and conscripts. Media sources reported that a primitive bomb targeted a traffic check point close to the building of court. Police and experts are working on the scene, and investigation was started. The injured people were transferred for treatment to the Heliopolis hospital.

Egypt’s security situation remains tense amid the continuous rallies of Morsy supporters and several bombings

Muslim Brotherhood's protests in Egypt
(Image: Euronews)

Security situation remains a concerning issue in Egypt since the ouster of the Islamist backed President Mohamed Morsy in July 2013. Egypt has witnessed a wave of systematic and massive pro-Muslim Brotherhood and pro-Morsy protests, mass arrests of the Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters, trials, numerous attacks against police and Armed Forces and several bombings in Egyptian cities as well.

Latest Friday, 18 April, was marked by the rallies of Mohamed Morsy and Muslim Brotherhood supporters, held in several cities of Egypt nationwide. Hundreds of pro-Morsy demonstrators have been protesting in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Tanta, Kafr El-Sheikh, Fayoum, Menoufiya and others, according to the local media.

Egypt: Pro-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrations turned violent nationwide

Egyptian pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters clashed with
security forces during Friday rallies
(Image: AFP)

Egyptian Islamists and Alliance for Support of Legitimacy calling for Mohamed Morsy’s reinstatement as Egypt’s President have called for the massive rallies to be held on Friday, 3 January, in order to protest the recent decisions of the military backed interim government and calling for boycotting of the upcoming national referendum on the amended Constitution.

Egypt’s government declares Muslim Brotherhood a “terrorist group”

Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo
(Image: The Insider)

Egypt’s interim government headed by the Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawy has officially declared Muslim Brotherhood a “terrorist group”. This decision was taken and announced one day after deadly blast hit Nile Delta city of Mansoura.

Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education Hossam Eissa has declared in an official statement released on Wednesday, 25 December, on Egypt’s state TV that Egypt’s Cabinet of Ministers has taken a decision to ban the activities of Muslim Brotherhood and to define the group as a “terrorist organization” and to make it subject to Article 86 of state’s penal code. This article defines terrorism, terrorist activities and penalties for it. In addition to that interim government has also banned activities of several NGOs affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour holds national dialogue meetings to discuss the details of Egypt’s transitional roadmap

Adly Mansour, Egypt's interim President
(image: Cairo Scene)

Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour, appointed for this position after Egypt’s Army ousted Islamist backed President Mohamed Morsy on 3 July, has initiated national dialogue meetings to be attended by the representatives of different political forces of the country, youth representatives, intellectuals, civil organizations and public figures as well.

National dialog is aimed to discuss the further steps in the framework of the transitional roadmap introduced by Egyptian Armed Forces after Morsy’s ouster.

Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsy face new charges in court

Mohamed Morsy, Egypt's ousted President
(Image: Wikipedia)

Egypt’s former Islamist backed President Mohamed Morsy, ousted by Armed Forces decree on 3 July following massive protests all over Egypt against his rule, will face new charges in court along with the previous accusations.

Mohamed Morsy already faces charges of inciting violence and calling for injuring and killing of his opponents during December clashes in front of the Presidential Palace in 2012. Thousands of people protested against controversial Constitutional Declaration issued then by Mohamed Morsy and giving him actually unlimited powers. Violent clashes erupted between the protesters and supporters of Morsy and Muslim Brotherhood resulted in dozens of dead and many injured. Thus Mohamed Morsy along with other prominent figures of Muslim Brotherhood is facing trial on these charges. Court though has adjourned the trial session.

Egypt’s ex-President Mohamed Morsy to face trial for international conspiracy and espionage

Mohamed Morsy, Egypt's ousted President
(Image: The Guardian)

Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsy and other 35 co-defendants will be tried for international conspiracy and espionage and collaborating with foreign organizations in order to commit terrorist attacks in Egypt, according to the official statement of the press service of Public Prosecutor. The charges span the period from 2005 till 2013, and the case could result in an execution of defendants. In addition to that, it was declared “the biggest conspiracy in the history of Egypt”.

Egypt: Clashes erupted during Islamist protests held on Friday

Islamist protests in Cairo
(Image: Huffington Post)

Egypt’s Islamist Alliance for Support of Legitimacy calling for reinstatement of Mohamed Morsy as the President, called for the protests over the week-end. Protests have been planned to be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, commemorating slain protesters on Friday, expressing support of 21 female Muslim Brotherhood detainees in Alexandria on Saturday and to support striking workers of Helwan factory on Sunday.

Protests have started on Friday after noon prayers as demonstrators got to the streets and the squares of several districts of Cairo and of other Egyptian cities as well including Suez, Fayoum, Upper Egypt cities and others.

Egypt’s draft of the amended Constitution is finalized and presented to the President

Amr Moussa, chairman of the Constitutional Committee, gives
the Constitution draft to Adly Mansour, Egypt's interim
President
(Image: AP)

Egypt’s 50-member Constitutional Committee tasked with the amending of the 2012 Constitution, suspended in the frameworks of the political roadmap introduced by Egypt’s Armed Forces after ouster of Islamist backed President Mohamed Morsy, was finalized on Sunday, 30 December.

Constitutional Committee has been holding final talks and discussions of the four articles remaining not approved by the members of the Committee as they have sparked debates and controversy. Among them were an article regarding the military trials for civilians in special cases, articles related to the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections and the article stipulating the structure of the future Parliament and the way of voting and electoral system.

Clashes erupted during pro-Morsy protests held in several Egyptian cities on Friday

Pro-Morsy protesters in Cairo
(Image: Haaretz)

Several hundreds of supporters of Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsy have gathered on Friday on Cairo, Giza and other Egyptian cities as well to protest against the current government and in support of Mohamed Morsy.

The rallies have been organized also as a response to the recent trial verdict recently issued for 21 female pro-Morsy protesters in the coastal city of Alexandria accused of damaging public and private property, attacking security forces and spreading violence. The court has sentenced the girls to 11 years in prison. This verdict was considered being extremely harsh and was strongly criticized by political and human rights activists as well.

Egypt’s Constitutional Committee is expected to vote for the Constitution’s draft at the end of week

Amr Moussa, chairman of Egypt's Constitutional Committee
(Image: The Guardian)

Egypt’s 50-member Constitutional Committee is at the stage of finalizing its work and the final discussions over some controversial articles. The main work of the Committee is done, and the final voting for the draft of the new Constitution is expected to be held at the end of this week, probably till 30 November.

This announcement was made my Amr Moussa, chairman of the 50-member Constitutional Committee tasked with the amending of Egypt’s 2012 Constitution issued by the Islamist led Constituents Assembly and the time of Mohamed Morsy’s presidency. Amr Moussa has made this statement during his official meeting with the representatives of farmers and workers of Egypt.

Egypt: clashes erupted during pro-Morsy protests in Cairo and across the country

Egypt's Islamists protesting in Cairo
(Image: Ahram Online)

Egypt’s Islamist backed Alliance for Support of Legitimacy and also Muslim Brotherhood have been calling for the protests on Friday and on Sunday to commemorate the victims of the violent dispersal of two pro-Morsy sit-ins in Cairo’s Rabaa Al-Adawayea Square and Giza’s Nahda Square. These protests are expected to be held as 100 days anniversary since the dispersal.

The protests have started on Friday, 22 November, after Friday noon prayers. Several thousand protesters supporting Muslim Brotherhood and Mohamed Morsy have marched today in different districts of Cairo. The demonstrations have been held also in other Egyptian cities as well including Alexandria, Upper Egypt’s Assiut, Suez, several Delta cities and others.

Egyptian revolutionary groups commemorated the victims of Mohamed Mahmoud clashes one day ahead of the anniversary

Mohamed Mahmoud Street blocked by security forces
(Image: Ahram Online)

Egyptian activists and representatives and members of revolutionary groups have gathered on Monday, 18 November, to commemorate the victims of Mohamed Mahmoud Street clashes.

Protesters have clashed with the police and security forces on Mohamed Mahmoud Street leading to the headquarters of Egypt’s Ministry of Interior on 19 November 2011, just a week ahead of the planned parliamentary elections. 47 people were killed and hundreds injured as a result of the deadly clashes, many people were injured critically as security forces have been shooting live ammunition and bird shots targeting the heads and eyes of the protesters. Egypt’s military, SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) was in power that time, after Hosni Mubarak stepped down.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is ready for reconciliation talks with the interim government

Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo
(Image: Business Insider)

Egypt’s pro-Morsy coalition Alliance for Support of Legitimacy backed by Muslim Brotherhood has issued an official statement on Saturday, 16 November, calling for the reconciliation dialogue with Egypt’s current interim government and with all political forces as well.

Pro-Morsy coalition has been refusing during long time the legitimacy of the interim government and all the decision made following the ouster of Mohamed Morsy whom they considered being Egypt’s legitimate President. The Army’s decree ousting Mohamed Morsy on 3 July has being called as “military coup” by the members and supporters of the Alliance, and massive marches and protests actions have been held demanding reinstatement of Mohamed Morsy as President.

Egypt: Demonstrations held across the country as the state of emergency ended and the curfew was lifted

Islamist and pro-Morsy marches in Egypt
(Image: Reuters)

Several hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s deposed President Mohamed Morsy have gathered for the Friday demonstrations in Cairo and in other Egyptian governorates as well including Alexandria, Suez, Upper Egypt and other cities, as the state of emergency ended by the court decree on 13 November and the curfew officially lifted on 14 November.

Since January 25 Revolution Friday became a traditional day for staging the demonstrations in Egypt, so the curfew imposed on the Egyptian cities after violent dispersal of pro-Morsy sit-ins in Cairo and Giza and the following clashes in the middle of August started at 7 p.m. on Fridays in attempt to restrict the supporters of the ousted President from staging the protests.

Egypt: Trial of prominent Islamist and Muslim Brotherhood’s figures to be held in December

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo
after clashes
(Image: The Hindu)

Cairo Appeal Court has announced on Sunday, 10 November, that the trial of 15 prominent Islamist figures and Muslim Brotherhood’s leaders accused of inciting violence during the July protests in 2013 to be held in December this year. The court sessions are expected to be started on 9 December 2013.

Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, leading Islamist figures Essam El-Erian, Mohamed El-Beltagy, Safwat Hegazy (prominent Salafist preacher), Assem Abdel-Maged (leader of Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya organization), Mahdi Akef, Muslim Brotherhood’s former supreme guide and other prominent figures are standing the trial accused of inciting violence and murder of the opponents, inciting terrorism and terrorist activities, forming a gang to attack Egyptian citizens and their properties etc.

Trial of Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsy postponed amid several clashes

Mohamed Morsy arrives to the court
(Image: Click Orlando)

The trial of Egypt’s ousted Islamist backed President Mohamed Morsy has started on Monday, 4 November, at 10 a.m. at the Police Academy located at the outskirts of Cairo, at the same place where the trial of Hosni Mubarak was held.

Mohamed Morsy who was held at an undisclosed location since his ouster by the military on 3 July has arrived to the court room earlier then the scheduled beginning of the court session. Egypt’s former President was escorted to the court room earlier than planned due to security reasons as the threat of the possible clashes and violence have been high. Other 14 co-defendants who face the charges with Mohamed Morsy have also arrived to the court from the Tora Prison where they are being currently jailed.