مركز هشام مبارك للقانون

Mahalla: The city of Mahalla al-Kubra has turned into a military barracks since yesterday afternoon the time the security forces has begun cordoning off the city. Police checkpoints have been deployed on every street and the neighborhoods of Misr Spinning and Weaving Company were announced unaccessible area for both people and reporters. More, the Mahalla workers have received threats—the security personnel would respond with live bullets in case they took to the streets.

Borg al Arab Concentration Camp: Yesterday the Front lawyers were allowed to visit Borg al Arab concentration camp to see the 19 political prisoners captured from Bohira, Kafr al Sheikh, Mansoura, Alex and Mahalla. Accidently, the lawyers discovered the existence of 42 detainees related to 6 April strike from Mahalla who were recorded as criminal prisoners. Another surprise was waiting for us, but this time it was a nice surprise. A number of 6 April-related detainees was released from Borg al Arab jail: Ibrahim Saleh Mansour, Osama Kamel, Ibrahim Twifiq (Mansoura), Ahmed Iraqi, Mostafa Helmy, Mahmoud Abdulla (Alex), and Taher Abu Sharei (Bouhira). So, the political detainees left behind were: Kareem al Bohiri, Tareq Amin, Kamal al Fayomi (Mahalla); Mohammad al Sabahi, Sameh Hassanein, Nagi al Sahkawi (Kafr al Sheikh); Qotb Hassanein, Ahmed al Sayed (Alex); Adel al Atar, Isam Gowida (Bohira). The three workers of Mahalla who remained in Borg al Arab told us that they were arrested around 10pm, which means they were arrested before the clashes.

Cairo: the usually busy city, with all its crowds of citizens crisscrossing streets and its traffic jams with cars honking indiscriminately all day, and the shops which never shut down their doors day or night, creating an endless noise that reaches the heavens… all these features of the "Cairo" which we know have appeared on May 4! The city was as usual except for the heavy presence of security forces in down town. The most telling feature of the day was the verbal war between state-run and independent newspapers. While the state press celebrated joyfully the eightieth birthday of Mubarak which-in their opinion-marks the rebirth of Egypt, the independent newspapers were variant in terms of covering May 4. Nahdat Misr dedicated a news item about the refusal of 14 political parties of the strike posted on Facebook and accused the strikers as illegitimate forces that work in favor of the US. Al Masri al Youm alloted a complete file on Mubarak's rule and a news item about turning Mahalla into a military barracks. Al Dostour newspapers alloted a complete page about the conditions of detainees and Al Badeel newspaper began the first page with “we are hungry” along with Mubarak's face with eighty years features. It also dedicated a file about the detainees' conditions and another one for Mubarak's personality.

On another context, it was reported that a demonstration in front of the Bar Association will be staged at 2pm.

Yesterday Alaa Ahmed Fawzy was arrested in Damanhour.