Egypt to try police officer for killing female protester

Egypt's chief prosecutor Tuesday referred a police officer to trial for the killing of a female protester in a case that captured public attention after it was caught on video.

The death of 32-year-old Shaimaa el-Sabbagh, a mother of a young boy, in January on the eve of the 2011 uprising's anniversary caused a public outcry. Despite footage that showed two masked policemen pointing their rifles in el-Sabbagh's direction as gunshots rang out and a voice commanding "fire," authorities initially denied that police had any involvement in her death. 

The case has renewed accusations from rights groups and political activists that Egypt's powerful police force enjoys almost blanket impunity. Amnesty International said authorities in Egypt are covering up excessive use of force by police, taking no action to rein in abuse.

Almost all of the over 100 policemen tried for killing protesters during Egypt's 2011 revolution were acquitted, with judges citing shoddy investigation or lax evidence in cases largely probed by the police themselves.

Authorities have increased the crackdown on dissent following the military ouster of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013, accusing his supporters of being behind the violence that has gripped Egypt. 

The uproar over el-Sabbagh's death prompted Egypt's President Abdel Fattah ElSisi to urge an investigation but he hinted that individual mistakes should not undermine public confidence in the police. The interior minister at the time of her death has since been replaced in a Cabinet shuffle.

Chief prosecutor Hisham Barakat said in a statement that the investigation revealed el-Sabbagh died from birdshot fired toward her by an officer ordered to disperse the protest. Barakat charged one police officer with involuntary manslaughter, punishable by up to seven years. No trial date has been set.

El-Sabbagh's family lawyer Mohammed Abdel-Aziz said authorities had denied him access to the investigation or the right to attend the interrogations.

In an indication of how the case may proceed, Barakat said el-Sabbagh and other protesters were holding an illegal gathering, without prior permission from the authorities. He referred a number of organizers from el-Sabbagh's political party to trial for violating a 2013 law that bans unauthorized protests.

Abdel-Aziz said he was informed by prosecutors that some 13 members of el-Sabbagh's party, the Popular Alliance, were referred to trial.

In a separate case, the chief prosecutor closed the debate over the death of a young activist who disappeared following a 2013 protest in Tahrir square, only to surface days later in a hospital in a coma.

Barakat ruled out previous accounts that Mohammed el-Gindy died from torture while held in a security camp, referring a witness to trial for "spreading false news that endangers public interest," and asserting that the young activist died in a car accident.

The witness had said he saw el-Gindy held in a security camp where he was tortured.

"This is a disaster for all the torture cases. No one would want to come testify now for fear of being referred to trial," Abdel-Aziz, who was also the lawyer for el-Gindy, said.

The Associated Press