Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned on Sunday the killing of at least 72 people during clashes that erupted on Saturday in Cairo, accusing Egyptian authorities of being reluctant to protect people’s lives. It also called on the government to give orders not to shoot unless necessary.
In a statement, Human Rights Watch said that Egypt’s military and civilian interim rulers should immediately order an end to the use of live gunfire except where strictly necessary to protect life.
The organization said that several victims were shot in the head and chest and that medical staff at Rabea al-Adaweya considered some of the deaths to be targeted killings because the position of the shots would likely result in death.
“The use of deadly fire on such a scale so soon after the interim president announced the need to impose order by force suggests a shocking willingness by the police and by certain politicians to ratchet up violence against pro-Morsy protesters,” said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
“It is almost impossible to imagine that so many killings would take place without an intention to kill, or at least a criminal disregard for people’s lives.”
The Health Ministry had earlier said that 80 people had been killed on Saturday in clashes between security troops and supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsy.
