A small group of demonstrators in Paris paid tribute Tuesday to slain activist Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, who was killed on Saturday while carrying flowers during a peaceful demonstration.
Demonstrators, including Mohamed Fouad, a close friend of Sabbagh's, reenacted the viral photograph of the bloodied activist, who is seen being held by a fellow protester shortly after her lungs and heart were reportedly pierced by close-range birdshot.
The group stood silently in pairs, as one held the other, while photographer Nick Kozak shot the images that can be found on their website.
In addition to the 23 deaths the following day, the killing of Sabbagh, who was participating in a march to Tahrir Square with the Socialist Popular Alliance Party to honor the martyrs of the 25 January revolution, stirred heavy criticism from both Egypt and abroad.
“Four years after Egypt’s revolution, police are still killing protesters on a regular basis. While President Sisi was at Davos burnishing his international image, his security forces were routinely using violence against Egyptians participating in peaceful demonstrations,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch.
While witnesses and activists at the scene said that police were behind the attack, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said that officials are committed to a full investigation by the general prosecution in the incident of Sabbagh's killing. “If the investigation finds that any police officer killed her, I will send him myself to trial,” he said, adding that police are only equipped with tear gas when confronting protests.
In response to Sabbagh's death, the Democratic Current, an alliance of liberal parties, has put forward five conditions in order for them to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The conditions include: investigating her death, restructuring the Interior Ministry, dismissing the current interior minister, amending the controversial protest law and releasing political prisoners.
“The Interior Ministry is practicing terrorism against political forces and has turned into the Islamic State,” said Medhat al-Zahid, acting chairman of the Popular Alliance Party.
