Archive for Youth Movement

April 6 activists to commemorate Jika’s birthday on Saturday

by admin
December 27th, 2012

The April 6 Youth Movement is planning to form a human chain on Saturday on the Qasr al-Nil Bridge to commemorate the birthday of the recently deceased Gaber Salah, better known as Jika.

Jika, a 16-year-old member of the movement, was killed in clashes during the commemoration of the Mohamed Mahmoud events in November 2012.

April 6 released a statement written in colloquial Arabic stating, “Jika would have been 17 years old on Saturday, and we wished to celebrate his birthday; but tyranny forces us to salute his memory in his absence.”

The statement said April 6 activists as well as members of other revolutionary and opposition movements would gather in Tahrir Square on Saturday at 3 pm. The protesters plan to create a human chain in Jika’s name along the bridge until 5 pm, then march to the home of Jika’s family in Abdeen.

April 6 members are also currently participating in the First Conference of Arab Youth for Liberation and Dignity, held in Tunis from 27 to 30 December.

The conference is organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, which is dedicated to discussing the role of Arab youth in supporting the Palestinian cause after the 2011 uprisings that took place in countries across the region. The movement also seeks to develop new tools of pressure in the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly after the rise of several Islamist groups to power.

Delegations from youth movements in Egypt are participating in the conference, including April 6 and the Egyptian Current Party, in addition to delegations from Bahrain, Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen and activists from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Edited Translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Update: Body of protester killed in clashes arrives in Tahrir

by admin
November 26th, 2012

The body of a protester killed in clashes with police arrived in Tahrir Square Monday ahead of his funeral.

About 2,000 people had gathered in the area for the funeral of Gaber Salah, 17, also known as Jika — a member of the April 6 Youth Movement who was killed in clashes with police during commemorations of last year’s Mohamed Mahmoud demonstrations, in which more than 40 people had died.

Crowds chanted “There is no God but Allah.” One sign read, “I believe firmly that these people will always have invisible heroes who feel and sanctify freedom and dignity,” echoing words of former President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Salah’s family, speaking through a loudspeaker, asked for due respect during the funeral, as well as silence and prayer. His uncle, standing in line to pray for his nephew, asked for people not to chant, saying, “This isn’t a revolution, it’s a funeral.”

But many in the crowd wanted to chant, saying the young man’s death is political and that he was killed at the hands of the Interior Ministry.

Salah died Sunday evening at Qasr al-Aini Hospital. The April 6 Youth Movement had announced the death Salah after he sustained birdshot injuries in the head, chest and right arm during the demonstrations.

Earlier Monday, demonstrators began to gather at the entrance of Mohamed Mahmoud Street from Tahrir Square. Salah had requested that his funeral be held in Tahrir.

Street cleaners cleared stones and bricks on the street left from clashes from between protesters and police over the past few days.

Many TV channel reporters are also present in the square to broadcast the funeral live.

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Demonstrators head to Tahrir for protester’s funeral

by admin
November 26th, 2012

More people headed to Tahrir Square Monday ahead of the funeral for 17-year-old Gaber Salah, known as Jika, who died Sunday evening at Qasr al-Aini Hospital.

The demonstrators began to gather at the entrance of Mohamed Mahmoud Street from Tahrir Square, where the funeral will be held, as Gaber had requested.

Street cleaning men are currently cleaning out stones and bricks on the street left from clashes from clashes between protesters and police over the past few days.

Many TV channel reporters are also present in the square, seeking to broadcast the funeral.

The April 6 Youth Movement had announced the death of one of its members, Salah, after he sustained birdshot injuries in the head, chest and right arm during demonstrations commemorating last year’s clashes near Mohamed Mahmoud Street, in which more than 40 people died.

Edited translation from MENA

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After Assiut tragedy, activists call for mass Upper Egypt demo to dismiss Qandil

by admin
November 20th, 2012

Activists, revolutionary groups and some politicians have called for mass protests across Upper Egypt governorates to demand the dismissal of Prime Minister Hesham Qandil in the wake of Saturday’s fatal train collision in Assiut that left 51 dead, the majority of them schoolchildren.

Tarek al-Kholy of the April 6 Youth Movement called the protest “a good move to make peoples of Upper Egypt participate in political life,” and said the main goal of the demonstration was to sack Qandil and his Cabinet.

The government is practicing the same policies as the collapsed regime regarding such accidents, Kholy claimed.

Qandil should be put on trial, and President Mohamed Morsy is also responsible for the accident, claimed Takadom al-Khatib, a member of the National Association for Change.

Khatib alleged that because Morsy appointed Qandil, the president shared equal blame for Qandil’s mistakes. Morsy had promised to solve traffic problems such as the one that led to the Assiut tragedy during his first 100 days in office, Khatib added.

Hossam Moness, a founding member of the Popular Current, said that sacking the minister of transportation is not enough and didn’t satisfy the citizens in Assiut.

Everyone in the government must be held to the same standards of accountability, Moness said, adding that after the revolution, the government must no longer resort to old regime tactics of sacking lesser employees as scapegoats while leaving major political figures beyond the reproach of the law.

Essam al-Sherif, the general coordinator for the Free Front for Peaceful Change, said that the front is prepared for the protest in Assiut. He added that they printed 8,000 flyers circulating across the governorate calling citizens for participation.

The Union of Revolutionary Youth has also announced its participation. Union spokesperson Amr Hamed said that they instructed all members on the governorates to participate.

The Karama Party also said it would participate. Mohamed Soliman, a party leader, said that they would demand retribution for martyrs, and hold officials accountable for their lost rights.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Update: Marches arrive in Tahrir, number of protesters grows

by admin
October 19th, 2012

The number of protesters in Tahrir Square swelled into the hundreds on Friday afternoon as marches arrived in the square from various districts in Cairo. 

Protesters are demonstrating against the Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party. Liberals, leftist and revolutionary figures are calling the day of protests “Egypt for all Egyptians.” 

Demonstrators chanted slogans such as, "Down with the rule of the supreme guide," and raised banners reading "Bread, freedom, dissolving the Constituent Assembly."

During the march to Tahrir from Mohandiseen, minor clashes took place between the April 6 Youth Movement and members of Amr Moussa’s Conference Party.

Quarrels took place also between protesters participating in a march coming from Shubra district and a number of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The marches began at the end of Friday prayers.

The satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera Mubasher Misr showed footage of a march entering Tahrir from Talaat Harb Street. Protesters chanted, “Sell the revolution Badie,” referring to the Muslim Brotherhood’s supreme guide. Other activists standing on a stage in the square announced that the Ultras Ahlawy would also be marching to join them.

Marches began Shubra, Sayeda Zeinab and Mohandiseen. Activist Ahmed Harara and Emad Abo Ghazi, a Constitution Party leader and the former minister of culture, both joined the march from Subra.

Dozens already began arriving in the square early on Friday morning. Members of the Constitution Party set up a stage in the square with a banner reading, “No to the hegemony of the Constituent Assembly.”

Other banners in the square read, “We want the constitution to be for all Egyptians,” and “From Tahrir we say ‘No’ to the constitution tailors.”

Ambulances lined up at the entrances to the square in anticipation of any emergency events.

The protesters’ demands include the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Constituent Assembly, the rejection of the final draft of the new constitution, the establishment of a minimum and maximum wage, an end to high prices, the retrial of the acquitted killers of the martyrs of the revolution, the recovery of funds smuggled abroad by former regime officials, and the elimination of corruption in state institutions.

Seven marches were planned from different locations in the greater Cairo area to Tahrir Square throughout the day, in addition to demonstrations in several governorates where clashes that took place last Friday between leftist and Brotherhood forces during a day of protests criticizing President Mohamed Morsy’s first 100 days in office.

Participants in today’s marches call for an apology from the Muslim Brotherhood for last week’s clashes.

Thirty parties and political movements announced participation in today’s protests, including the Constitution Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, the Popular Socialist Alliance, the Revolutionary Youth Union, the April 6 Youth Movement and the Kefaya Movement.

Amr Moussa and Hamdeen Sabbahi both stated that they would be marching today.

The National Association for Change announced participation as well, and called on participants not to respond to any provocation, so as to keep the protests peaceful.

The April 6 Youth Movement has called for a consensual constitution. The movement demanded an apology from the Muslim Brotherhood and called on Morsy to hold the group responsible for Friday 12 October clashes.

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March tomorrow to honor Maspero massacre

by admin
October 8th, 2012

Forty political groups plan to take to the streets tomorrow to demand justice for those killed a year ago in the Maspero massacre.

At least 27 people were killed in front of the Maspero building on 9 October 2011 when military and security forces violently dispersed a peaceful march against assaults on Coptic churches.

The Maspero Youth Union, which was formed in March 2011 to defend the rights of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority, is planning two marches to the Maspero building — one starting in Shubra, the other in Talaat Harb Square.

Also participating in the marches are the April 6 Youth Movement, the Democratic Revolutionary Alliance, Hamdeen Sabbahi’s new Popular Current Part and 35 other movements, coalitions and parties.

Rami Kamel, coordinator of the Maspero Youth Union, said the marches are set to begin at 4 pm and would be accompanied by funereal music.

The march is to reach Maspero at 6 pm, with a eulogy ceremony beginning at 7 pm with a screening of a video of the martyr Mina Daniel. The Kazeboon (Liars) Campaign will also screen a number of videos of the massacre and the atrocities allegedly committed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Kamel said the group was not planning to hold a sit-in, and the event is set to end at 10 pm on Tuesday evening.

In its statement announcing participation in the march, the April 6 Youth Movement called for the SCAF to be put on trial for "all the crimes that have been committed against Egyptians."

Another statement signed by 20 political parties and movements rejected the "safe exit" granted to SCAF members, calling for a fair trial and retribution for the martyrs.

The statement demands the prosecution of  the former commander of military police forces, Hamdi Badin, who now serves as Egypt's military attaché in China;  the current leader of the military police forces, Ibrahim al-Damati;  commander of the Second Army Pedestrian Division, Ayman Amer, who was responsible for securing the Cairo area, including Maspero; the former commander of the central military zone, Hassan al-Roweiny, who is now assistant to the minister of defense; and former SCAF chief Hussein Tantawi, who is now adviser to the president.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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April 6 calls for protest, police reports against ‘safe exit’ for SCAF

by admin
September 3rd, 2012

The April 6 Youth Movement called Tuesday for a campaign to bring charges against former Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi and members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces over the deaths of demonstrators last year.

The movement plans to file police reports against Tantawi and the SCAF for the deaths of 45 demonstrators during the Mohamed Mahmoud Street protests in November and 17 demonstrators during the Cabinet protests in December.

The campaign’s slogan, “No to a safe exit,” refers to the Nile Medal that Tantawi received upon being sent into retirement by President Mohamed Morsy. Some have perceived the honor as an arrangement to grant military generals a safe exit in spite of calls to hold them accountable for protester deaths during the SCAF-led transitional period.

In a statement released Monday, the movement announced a protest would take place in front of the High Court Tuesday at 10 am, after which police reports would be filed in protest of “safe exit[s] for the criminal SCAF.”

Acting April 6 Youth Movement media spokesperson Saeed Abdel Rahman Badr said “there is no other alternative but to go to court.”

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Iftar before Tora prison to demand civilian detainees’ release

by admin
August 11th, 2012

 

The April 6 Youth Movement will organize an iftar and a candlelight vigil in front of Tora prison Saturday in solidarity with civilian detainees who were militarily tried during and after the revolution.               

The movement released a statement Friday evening saying, “We will not forget [the detainees] and will not be satisfied with the status quo, as officials have the attitude of ignoring demands to release detainees.  The number of civilians tried before military courts has exceeded 12,000 citizens.”

The movement called on President Mohamed Morsy to re-try the detainees before a civilian court, and to immediately order the release of civilian detainees tried by military courts under “false charges.”

The statement contrasted the detainees’ plight to released Islamist detainees, for whom no committee was assigned to examine charges of terrorism and murder, whereas a committee was formed to discuss the status of those tried for events related to the revolution.

The April 6 Movement added that the iftar and subsequent vigil will be followed by other events in the coming weeks in solidarity with the detainees.

 

 

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Protesters march on Israeli Ambassador’s home over Sinai attack

by admin
August 7th, 2012

 

Dozens of members from Youth for Freedom and Justice, the April 6 Youth movement, and Kefaya, The Egyptian Movement for Change, organized a march to the home of the Israeli Ambassador in Maadi to protest the killing of 16 security officers near the Egyptian-Israeli border on Sunday afternoon.

The protesters called for the expulsion of the Ambassador and to punish those who perpetrated or colluded in the attack.

Officials from Egypt and Israel said the attackers belonged to extremist Islamist groups in Sinai, but Islamist politicians and observers in Egypt said they suspect that Israel was behind the incident.

The protesters chanted slogans against Israel and raised black banners that read "in mourning."

Wessam Aly, one of the participants in the protest, said he held the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces accountable for the attack and called for revealing the identities of the assailants.

Israel had closed its embassy in Cairo after protesters stormed it in September after six Egyptian border guards were killed in August by Israeli forces, who said they were targeting terrorist elements.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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April 6 coordinator turns down presidential advisory offer

by admin
August 6th, 2012

April 6 Youth Movement coordinator Ahmed Maher said Monday that he turned down an offer to be a presidential adviser, saying he refused to be part of President Mohamed Morsy’s presidential team.

Maher said in a statement that his choice comes in accordance with the group’s decision to be a youth movement that participates in the building of its country. He said the movement would keep its firm stand toward all political and social issues.

Three activist figures joined Morsy’s presidential team, the movement said. They include National Association for Change coordinator Hassan Nafaa, prominent journalist and activist Sekina Fouad and human rights lawyer Saif al-Islam Abdel Fattah.

Both TV and radio personality Hamdy Qandil and leftist activist Wael Khalil turned down positions in the presidential team.

Presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali had previously said the presidential team was expected to be announced Sunday, but the announcement was postponed.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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