Year: 2007

They were not harassed by the police yesterday, but Kafr Elw residents who showed up in Abdeen to lobby the Cairo Governorate officials, Thursday 6 December, into compensating them for housing said they were beaten up by the Central Security Forces troops, led by Major Muhammad el-Sayyed. The troops used sticks, batons, while the Major took part personally in kicking and punching the residents while uttering foul slurs. When the women went to the Abdeen Police Station to report to file a complaint against the officer, they station officers decided to lock them up. They were released on the following day, reportedly after the intervention of MP Mustafa Bakri, in exchange for not speaking to the media and dropping any plans to file a complaint against Major Muhammad el-Sayyed.

The children, said the residents, were not spared either on that day.

Among the victims was nine year old Eman, who was slapped and kicked by Major el-Sayyed personally, said her mother.

But interestingly also the residents were saying that the Major was screaming at the conscripts, threatening them if they did not attack they would be punished, which clearly shows the hesitation and discontent among the soldiers in executing such order.