An inmate was killed and six injured as clashes erupted among security forces in charge of the Cairo appeal prison and prisoners tried to escape.
Preliminary investigations revealed that inmates rioted and tried to smash the gates to escape. Security officers used force and tear gas bombs to thwart the attempt.
Disturbances have been common in Egyptian prisons since the 25 January revolution that led to the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak. Observers blame the ongoing chaos inside prisons on a declaration by former Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdy that inmates who escaped during the revolution and who had served half of their sentences would be released. The ministry has since said that the decision does not apply to all inmates.
Official reports said recently that Interior Ministry officials were involved in opening prisons on 28 January, in an attempt to create chaos in the absence of security forces.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
