CAIRO // Egypt’s president has spoken publicly for the first time about the recent death of a female protester, calling her a “martyr” and offering condolences to her family and all Egyptians “pained” by her death.
Abdel Fattah El Sissi’s comments were a nod to activists enraged by a killing they see as the cold-blooded murder of a colleague and the latest example of excessive police force at a time when the president’s government is accused of suppressing freedoms and trampling on human rights.
Shaimaa El Sabbagh, a 32-year-old mother and activist, was killed while taking part in a peaceful protest on January 24 in Cairo. Her death was captured in social media footage, including a clip showing two masked policemen pointing their rifles in her direction, followed by sounds of gunshots. She was wounded by birdshot and died at the scene. Activists and witnesses at the rally blame the police for her death.
Both private and state-owned papers quoted Mr El Sissi on Monday as saying he views Egyptian men and women as his own children. El Sabbagh “is my daughter ... no one should doubt that,” he said.
Despite the outcry over El Sabbagh's death, the president has resisted growing calls to repeal a draconian law adopted in 2013 that bans street protests without prior government approval, a key activist demand.
“I offer my condolences to the family of the martyr and every Egyptian pained by her death,” Mr El Sissi said on Sunday, meeting with army and police commanders, top politicians, religious leaders and prominent media figures.
But, he added: “An individual’s mistake should not be used to undermine an entire institution (police).”
At the meeting, Mr El Sissi also urged interior minister Mohammed Ibrahim, to uncover “the truth behind” El Sabbagh’s death.
Mr Ibrahim has said he would personally hand over any policeman found to have been involved in the killing.
Last week, however, a senior ministry official, Gamal Mukhtar, insisted that El Sabbagh was killed by a type of bullet not used by the police. He also claimed the footage of her death may have been fabricated by the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.
* Associated Press
