The prosecutor heard the statements of eyewitnesses and those involved in the incident and issued its release orders yesterday. Al-Badil obtained photos taken by citizens of the lawyer directly after his assault in the Dar al-Salam metro station, while he was unconscious. “The Basatin police, who exercise jurisdiction over the metro stop, are still covering up the assault although the station chief is well aware of all the facts,” Mohammed Reda said.

He added, “Young lawyers who are not seeking positions in the Lawyers’ Syndicate are the ones who stood by me, not the candidates.” He said he had expected a stronger stance from candidates running for syndicate president, given that policemen assaulted a member of the bar. “The two policemen brutally assaulted me and passersby intervened to save me,” he said.

Rabie al-Melwani, one of the lawyers expressing solidarity with Reda, said, “I called Regai Atiya, and he said he wasn’t at the questioning because he was at Marina. Sameh Ashour was busy the whole time and Talaat al-Sadat could not be reached by telephone.”

Source: Al-Badil

August 24, 2007

By: Hamada al-Kashef