MOHAMED ELBARADEI, the former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, joined about 4,000 Egyptians at a street protest yesterday, in his most direct challenge to President Hosni Mubarak since returning to the country earlier this year.
The Nobel laureate turned opposition figurehead joined the sit-in in Alexandria over the case of a man allegedly killed by plainclothes policemen.
Witnesses say Khaled Said (28) died after being kicked and punched by the officers who then smashed his head against a marble shelf in an internet cafe on June 6th. Security officials claim Said died of asphyxiation after he swallowed a packet of narcotics hidden under his tongue.
The officers dragged Said into their car and drove off, before returning to dump his body on the street in front of the cafe, the witnesses said.
Mr ElBaradei, who has said he will consider challenging Mr Mubarak for the presidency next year, called the incident an “egregious humanitarian violation” which revealed a “lack of sanctity of human life”.
Human Rights Watch called for the prosecution of the two officers, who remain on active duty. The campaign group also criticised the police investigation and the interior ministry, which accused Said of being a wanted criminal, an accusation his family denies. “Even if Khaled Said had been wanted, that does not give licence to police to attack and murder him in cold blood,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and north Africa director for the organisation.
Graphic images of Said’s mangled face have spread on the internet, prompting protests in Cairo and Alexandria which have been broken up by police. Yesterday’s protest was the largest so far.
Street demonstrations in Egypt are not uncommon, with regular protests over food prices and low wages, but most of them remain small and are broken up by riot police. The size of the Alexandria protest, a stronghold of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood movement, suggests Said’s death has struck a chord.
Mr ElBaradei and a group of prominent opposition figureheads – including former presidential candidate Ayman Nour, who was jailed after his unsuccessful attempt to unseat Mr Mubarak in 2005 – arrived in Alexandria earlier to meet Said’s family.
After Friday prayers the protesters were met by a huge contingent of riot police.
Egypt has been under a state of emergency law for 29 years. Said has become known as the “emergency law martyr” and his death is viewed by many as a potential turning point for the growing opposition movement.
Mr ElBaradei is believed to have left the protest early after hundreds began chanting anti-Mubarak slogans. He was keen to avoid accusations that he was exploiting Said’s death for political gain. – (Guardian service)