Members of revolutionary groups held a press conference on Wednesday in front of the presidential palace in Heliopolis to demand the release of all detainees currently held in military prisons. The meeting was in response to President Mohamed Morsy’s decision to form a committee to consider releasing the detainees.
“President Morsy reassured the Zionist entity that peace would be our strategic choice. He reassured the military council and promised to honor them. He told police that they would remain in their positions. He then formed a committee to consider the circumstances of the detainees, who have been arrested, tortured and imprisoned by military authorities,” said activist Ahmed Harara in a statement on behalf of the participating movements.
The revolutionary groups reject Morsy’s proposed committee and call on him to fulfill his promise and set a timeline for releasing the detainees as well as the 8 April officers, the statement continued, referring to the group of army officers who were arrested after joining protests in Tahrir Square on 8 April 2011, and who are currently serving two to three years in prison.
The groups also threatened to escalate their action if there was no response to their demands within five days.
Movements represented at the press conference included the Youth for Freedom and Justice Movement, El Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, the Arab Revolution Youth Movement, the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, the Egyptian Current Party, the Free Front for Peaceful Change, the Free Egyptian Movement, Salafyo Costa and members of Hamdeen Sabbahi’s campaign.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
