CAIRO: An Egyptian court sentenced a policeman to 10 years yesterday for the deaths of 37 prisoners who suffocated on tear gas, one of the most brutal incidents in an extensive crackdown on Islamists.
Three other offices were given suspended one-year sentences.
The sentences were the first against policemen for violations during a crackdown on supporters of Mohamed Mursi that has killed more than 1,000 people since the army ousted the Islamist president in July. The prisoners were killed when tear gas was fired into a truck taking them from a police station to a prison near Cairo on August 18. The officer given 10 years was deputy head of the police station who oversaw the transfer.
The four officers were sentenced for manslaughter after the prosecution’s investigation revealed they acted recklessly reckless toward the victims, the sources added. The incident occurred at the peak of the crackdown against Mursi supporters.
The interior ministry said at the time that police fired tear gas when the inmates rioted as they were being transferred to Abu Zaabal prison in Cairo.
The Islamist Anti-Coup Alliance, which is pressing for the reinstatement of Mursi, had accused police of killing the prisoners as they were being moved.
Yesterday’s verdict was handed down after the court heard testimony from seven wounded prisoners. The court also heard from a justice ministry expert, who said the truck used had a capacity of only 24 people, while they were packed with 45 that day.
The incident came just four days after security forces stormed two sit-ins of Mursi supporters in Cairo, setting off clashes that killed hundreds. Since then, security forces have continued the crackdown on them.AFP
