23 Sep 2020; MEMO: Demonstrations in Egypt have continued for the third day in a row calling on President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to stand down.
Protesters gathered in Giza, Fayoum, Minya, Luxor and Aswan on Tuesday evening, chanting “Don’t fear, Sisi must walk” and “Go Balhah,” in reference to the popular nickname he has been given.
Balhah, or red dates, is a term used for people who claim wit and wisdom but do not possess it.
Egyptian army contractor turned whistleblower Mohamed Ali called for demonstrations on the anniversary of 20 September 2019 and for Egyptians to unite against the ruling regime.
He called on Egyptians to continue demonstrating on Tuesday from 6pm.
As reported by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Egyptian security forces surrounded the village of Al-Kadaya in the centre of Atfih. Authorities met with families and called on them not to demonstrate.
In response, residents overturned a police car and set it on fire. In Al-Hawarta village in Minya Governorate, a group of protesters pushed a security vehicle into the canal.
Police imposed a curfew on southern Cairo yesterday as residents took to the streets to decry the deterioration of living conditions and house demolitions.
More than 200 people have been detained from across Egypt on charges of joining a terror group, broadcasting and disseminating false rumours and misusing social media; 150 of them have appeared at the State Security Prosecution.
Yesterday, the UN called for people “to be allowed to express themselves, and for governments to listen to the people.”
In response to a question on whether international silence on Egypt’s 60,000-100,000 political prisoners was a mandate to proceed with repression policies, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said:
"No matter what country we are talking about, no one should have an absolute mandate to stifle public expression or political expression."
On Sunday, Amnesty called for the release of protesters still detained from last year’s September demonstrations. At the time, 4,000 were swept up in retribution.
State-run media have rallied in support of the president, with some denying the protests are taking place and others saying that there are limited numbers.
The Egypt Independent tried to smear Ali as a Muslim Brotherhood money launder.
Activists on social media called for Egyptians to storm the Media Production city where most Egyptian TV channels have their headquarters.
