Abdeen Misdemeanor Court resumed on Sunday the detention of 11 members of the April 6 Youth Movement another 15 days pending investigations, into the violence that took place in Talaat Harb Square in downtown Cairo .
During the court session, clashes erupted between security forces stationed in front of Abdeen Court and some members of the April 6 Movement, who chanted slogans against the police and army, and allegedly tried to enter the court, security forces claim, forcing police to impose cordon of security around the court.
Qasr al-Nil Prosecution has first decided to imprison the defendants four days pending investigations, into the violence that took place in Talaat Harb Square, late last year, as movement members demanded the release of the group's founder, Ahmed Maher.
The April 6 Movement was demonstrating against the new law banning freedom of assembly without prior authorization from the Interior Ministry. The government has attempted to clamp down on protests by restricting this internationally-recognized human right.
The movement announced last week that Maher, member Mohamed Adel and political activist Ahmed Doma are again on hunger strike against what they say are harsh conditions of their detention in Tora Prison.
The April 6 Movement also announced lastTuesday its intention to boycott the constitutional referendum scheduled for 14 and 15 January, after threatening to withdraw from the roadmap talks, following the imprisonment of Maher.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
