Egypt: Death Sentences Spark Deadly Riots

Two football players are among 27 people killed in riots in the Egypt city of Port Said following the sentencing to death of 21 fans.

Violence erupted in the city after judge sentenced the 21 people to death over a post-match riot in February last year that killed 74 fans of the Cairo-based Al Ahly team.

All of the people sentenced to death were fans of Port Said's main Al Masry team.

Jubilant: Fans of Al Ahly football club celebrate the verdict in Cairo

The director of hospitals in Port Said, Dr Abdel Raham Farah, said Mahmoud Abdel Halim al Dizawi, a football player in the city's Al Marikh club, was shot three times and died.

He says Tamer al Fahla, a player who used to play for Al Masry team, was also shot dead on his way to Al Marikh club.

Relatives of those sentenced attempted to storm the prison - which is near the Al Marikh club - where the defendants were being held, leading to the fierce clashes with police which left at least 27 people dead, including two policemen.

The military has been deployed to try and restore security.

Al Ahly fans were considered by many to be the victims of the riot

As the sentence was read out in the Cairo court and broadcast live on Egyptian television, families of those who died during the match wailed in relief and shouted "God is great!" from the public gallery.

But residents in Port Said, where the match was played, were also angry that people from their city were held responsible for the deadly riots.

On hearing the verdict many rampaged through the streets and some attempted to storm a police station.

Shops were closed and armoured personnel vehicles deployed as fighting raged in some streets around the prison.

Joy: Families of fans killed shouted 'God is great' after the verdict

In Cairo, there were explosions of jubilation at the verdict. One man who lost his son in the Port Said clashes wept outside court and said he was satisfied with the judges decision.

Another, Hassan Mustafa, had pinned a picture of his dead friend to his chest and said he was pleased with the outcome, adding that he wanted "justice served for those who planned the killing".

Die-hard football fans from both teams hold the police at least partially responsible for the February deaths and criticised Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi for doing little to reform the force.

Doctors treating the victims of the football rioting said some had been stabbed to death. One player caught up in the rioting described it as "a war".

Some of the defendants accused of involvement in the violence

Witnesses said most of the deaths involved people who had been trampled in the crush of panicked crowds, or who fell from terraces.

The riot was the world's deadliest football violence in 15 years.

The judge said in his statement read live on state TV that he would announce the verdict for the remaining 52 defendants on March 9.

Among those on trial are nine security officials.

As is customary in Egypt, the death sentences will be sent to religious authority, the Grand Mufti, for approval.

Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Egypt: Death Sentences Spark Deadly Riots

Dengan url

http://wantekkepek.blogspot.com/2013/01/egypt-death-sentences-spark-deadly-riots.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Egypt: Death Sentences Spark Deadly Riots

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Egypt: Death Sentences Spark Deadly Riots

sebagai sumbernya