Jul 05 2012 |
more articles from
|
Fear over shadowy virtue police in Egypt
Thursday, Jul 05, 2012
Cairo: Ahmad Hussain, an engineering student, was walking with his fiancée in a street in the Egyptian coastal city of Suez one evening this week when three suspected Muslim militants stopped the couple and reproached them for being alone. When Ahmed, 20, lashed back at the trio for being “nosey”, one of them reportedly stabbed him and fled with the two others on a motorbike.
Hussain was taken to a local hospital where he died shortly later, triggering fears across Egypt that vigilante groups are out to enforce a stricter version of the Sharia (law) in the predominantly Muslim country.
“My son did nothing wrong to be killed in this brutal way,” his father said following a mass funeral in Suez, located some 120 kilometres north east of Cairo. “Ahmad was escorting his fiancee to her home.” The distraught father vowed not to accept condolences for his son’s death until the killers are arrested and punished. The victim’s fiancee was quoted as telling police that the attackers were bearded and clad in Afghan-like traditional costumes.
Hussain’s death came less than a week after two local musicians were killed by suspected Muslim extremists in the Nile Delta of Sharqiya, in what police said was a personal dispute.
“It is necessary to strictly enforce the rule of law in handling crimes of religious violence and terrorism,” said the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, a non-governmental group. It also called for an “end to the increasing exploitation” of religion in politics.
Local media has recently reported raids mounted by suspected militants against beauty parlours in some parts of Egypt. Some women, having no cover on their hair, also reported getting threats of punishment from unknown people for being “indecently dressed”.
By Ramadan Al Sherbni Correspondent
© Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.
© Copyright Zawya. All Rights Reserved.
More in Egypt
Oddly Enough
- What's in a name? U.S. starts using Myanmar as well as Burma
- Marijuana waste helps turn pot-eating pigs into tasty pork roast
- Man climbs onto dome of St Peter's to protest Italian politics
- Prague metro plans to launch love train for singles
- Powerball jackpot grows to a record $600 million
- There's More
Post Your Comment