Thousands of pharmacists from Cairo and the provinces gathered yesterday at the Pharmacists’ Syndicate’s general assembly, to discuss measures to confront police hassles against them.
The pharmacists have been complaining from inhumane treatment on the hands of both the ordinary police force and State Security police across the country. Security raids against pharmacies have become regular, under the claim of search for drugs or illegal substances. Security agents frequently smash the contents of the pharmacies, and drag the pharmacists in the street in front of everybody in their neighborhoods, handcuffed, and beaten up, the pharmacists said yesterday.
The pharmacists decided yesterday to boycott buying any medicine or products from pharmaceutical companies for a week, and file a complaint to President Mubarak asking him to hold the police accountable for its actions.
The pharmacists are also discussing a general strike and a march over the parliament if the raids and detentions do not stop.