A/HRC/4/33/Add.1 Page 93 Para 66. Country Date 01/06/06 Type JUA Mandate WGAD; FRDX; TOR; Allegations transmitted Government Response had arranged to interview several lawyers and judges at the Bar Association. When she arrived, plainclothes police and security officials grabbed her and took her to an area where security vehicles were parked and beat her. She was subsequently taken to Sayeda Zeinab Police Station. Outside the police station plainclothes police officers assaulted her again. Police officers told her to stop writing. She was released later on the same day. As a result of the treatment, she suffered bruising and a swollen eye. Cameramen from Reuters were assaulted on the same occasion. In separate incidents on 11 May, several cameramen covering the protests were taken away from the crowd and beaten by plainclothes police officers. Amongst them were Yasir Suleiman, camera crew for the Qatarbased satellite channel Al-Jazeera; and Nasri Yousif, sound crew for Al-Jazeera. Their camera and tapes were allegedly confiscated. On 9 May 2006, a state security prosecutor extended for 15 days the detention of two journalists, Saher al Gad, journalist for Al-Geel newspaper; and Ibrahim Sahari, journalist for Al-Alam Al-Youm newspaper, who were taken into custody for "disturbing public order" on April 27 2006. They were covering protests on the first day of hearings of the two judges. Karim al-Sha'ir and Mohamed al-Sharqawi, political activists. On 25 May 2006, they were arrested by agents of the State Security Investigations (SSI) bureau of the Interior Ministry, downtown Cairo, as they were leaving a peaceful under the Act regulating demonstrations on a public highway. The security forces warned the demonstrators about the adverse consequences of holding a demonstration in the city centre, but they failed to respond and tried to attack the security forces. This led to clashes and the arrest of several demonstrators, who were subsequently handed over to the Department of Public Prosecutions. As for the journalists arrested during the demonstration, both were released on 6 June 2006. It is worth noting that all international treaties state that the exercise of the right to engage in peaceful demonstrations must not prejudice national security, public safety or public order (article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). Egyptian law applies these norms in the light of Egypt’s accession to the aforementioned Covenant. Moreover, the Department of Public Prosecutions - a branch of the judiciary whose members enjoy judicial immunity - took steps to investigate the incidents mentioned above in accordance with Egyptian law and the relevant international norms. By letter dated 11/07/06, the Government reported that the two men in question were arrested on 25 May 2006, in Higher State Security Case No. 517, for taking part in, provoking and orchestrating a riot involving

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