Journalists, protesters and family members staged a funeral today for journalist Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud who died last Friday after being shot dead by a sniper on Saturday.
Mourners marched from the Journalists’ Syndicate to Tahrir Square holding an empty coffin. They prayed in Tahrir Square for “all the martyrs of the revolution,” circled the square holding the coffin, and called for “the fall of the killer.”
Mahmoud, a journalist in Al-Ta’awon newspaper run by the Al-Ahram foundation and an independent distributor, was standing in the balcony of his office taping clashes between police and protesters in front of the ministry of interior when a plain clothed officer shot him in the eye.
“My husband was killed because he was videotaping things that the police didn't w’ant people to see,” said Mahmoud’s wife, journalist Inas Abdel Alim, claiming that officers shot unarmed protesters with live bullets.
Mahmoud was admitted to Qasr al-Ainy hospital where he entered a coma and died at dawn on Friday.
Mahmoud is the first journalist to lose his life while covering the uprising’s events. Hundreds of journalists have endured harassment by security while covering the protests, which included physical assault, arrests, confiscations, and destroyed equipment.
Abir al-Saady, a Journalists Syndicate board member, condemned the regime’s “organized campaign against journalists.” Al-Saady said that journalists and foreign reporters are being systematically attacked by the regime in an concerted campaign to “conceal the truth.”
The 39-year-old journalist left behind one daughter, Nourhan. His second wife is currently pregnant with their firstborn.
“There is now blood between us and the regime. All these martyrs lost their lives just because they said no,” said Mahmoud’s widow. She pleaded with the regime, saying, “Have mercy on us. You destroyed homes and killed young people; that’s enough.”
Abdel Alim describes her late husband as “flawless.” She said that he was a loyal husband and a pious man who loved life, worked with passion, and gave a lot of attention to his family, especially to his daughter.
“I lost my partner, and my daughter became an orphan. She needs her father,” said Abdel Alim.
When asked about her father, Nourhan said that he was “the best.” She broke down crying and whispered, “I miss him.”
The Journalists Syndicate sued the ministry of interior for Mahmoud’s murder. Abdel Alim says that the ministry has yet to contact her or begin investigating the case.
Makram Mohamed Ahmed, Journalists Syndicate head, was not welcomed by the mourners when he arrived to the syndicate to offer his condolences to the deceased’s family before the march. The crowd interrupted Ahmed, shouting “Makram is a killer” and “down with the spokesperson of the regime.” They cornered Ahmed and yelled “get out” until he escaped into the elevator.
Hanan Hussein, the deceased’s cousin said that he had always criticized the government and that he was not the kind of person that could witness wrongdoings without speaking out. Hussein called on the protesters to continue protesting in Tahrir Square for Mahmoud’s sake.
“One person was lost, but thousands are still holding strong and they will continue that way,” said Hussein.
