Egypt's denial of police brutality in Khalid Said death spurs fresh protest

[An activist carries a picture of slain Khalid Said with Arabic that reads "Why was Khalid killed?" during a protest in Cairo, Egypt, June 19. Khalid Said was allegedly beaten to death by two plainclothes policemen on an Alexandria street after he posted a video on the Internet of police officers sharing the spoils from a drug bust among themselves, his family said.]

His name is Khalid Said: Egyptian writer killed in 2010 and upheld by Wael as the spark of revolution. His charges? Weed & Videotaping the Police.

More than 11,000 Egyptians have responded to a Facebook call for a Friday protest of police brutality in the death of Egyptian businessman Khalid Said. Egypt’s general prosecutor said Wednesday that the results of a second autopsy uphold the conclusion that a young Egyptian businessman whose death has incited anger and protests died from choking on a bag of drugs – not from a police beating.

Witnesses say that police dragged Mr. Said out of an Internet cafe in Alexandria June 6 and beat him to death in the street. Graphic photos of his facial injuries, circulated on the Internet, support their account. Said was reportedly targeted because he was planning to make public a video that shows police officers dividing the spoils of a drug bust.

The prosecutor general ordered a second autopsy after Said’s case sparked an uproar, with protests in Cairo and Alexandria and international calls for an investigation. The US last week urged Egypt to conduct a “transparent” investigation of Said’s “troubling” death.

WSWS: Egyptian military asserts authority as strikes, protests spread
Xinhuanet: Egypt's army dissolves parliament, pledging elections in 6 months

PressTV: Egypt Army rejects protesters' demands - Egypt's military has rejected the demands of pro-democracy protesters for a swift transfer of power to a civilian administration, saying it will rule by martial law until preseidential election is held in September.

Antiwar: Egypt’s Military Suspends Constitution, Disbands Parliament - Having taken power in the wake of long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, the Egyptian military today fulfilled some key demands of the protesters, announcing that they will disband the parliament and suspend the constitution pending its revision. The moves may be welcomed in and of themselves, but the new junta also announced that they intend to rule entirely by decree until elections are held, meaning Egyptians can look forward to a minimum of six months under harsh martial law.