MOSCOW, January 26 (Sputnik) – At least 20 people were killed during protests across Egypt, mainly in Cairo and Alexandria, while commemorating the four year anniversary since the overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak from office, according to Al Jazeera.
Two women were killed ahead of the January 25 anniversary while participating in apparently peaceful protests and at least 18 died on the anniversary.
#ِAMAY | EU calls for restraint in Egypt for more details: http://t.co/TjOzicB6Ij pic.twitter.com/sfBWczivco
— Egypt Independent (@EgyIndependent) 26 января 2015
Sondos Reda Abu Bakr, 17, and Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, 32, were killed on January 23 and 24 when security forces broke up protests in which the women were participating, according to eyewitnesses and media reports, reports Human Rights Watch.
On January 23 and 24, police violently dispersed an anti-coup march in Alexandria and Cairo. The police fired tear gas and birdshot, arrested at least six people and killed Sabbagh and twenty other civilians.
Shaimaa el-Sabbagh,32, & Sondos Reda,17:shot dead by #Egypt security forces in Cairo & Alexandria in #Jan25 anniv protests.Every life counts
— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) 26 января 2015
“Suddenly I received birdshot and began to run, not understanding anything that was happening,” Hammam wrote. “I took some pictures as I ran and when I felt the firing stop I looked and saw Shaima al-Sabbagh fall to the ground,” a photojournalist Osama Hammam told Human Rights Watch.
None of the publicly available media reviewed by Human Rights Watch showed any protester with a weapon or fireworks.
Human Rights Watch has called for the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate the extensive killings of protesters since July 2013.
