Egypt: Ramy Sabry released by police

Brutal attacks against opposition activists shows need for independent mass workers’ movement

Following conflicting reports, it is now confirmed that Ramy Sabry, a socialist activist and a fighter for workers’ rights, along with other activists, were released last weekend from police custody in Cairo after many hours of detention. Ramy was not charged.

The abductions took place during days of mass protests in central Cairo against the attempt by President Mursi to increase his autocratic powers.

It is reported however that Ramy and others needed hospital treatment for injuries received during their abduction by thugs linked to the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), who subsequently handed them over them police.

Political pressure from the Muslim Brotherhood was exerted to try to have Ramy and others charged with all sorts of false allegations. But pressure from the mass protests in the streets forced the authorities to back down.

Relatives and comrades of Ramy thanked the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI) for appealing for international solidarity action.

Dictatorial measures

The MB leadership is taking dictatorial measures. The MB are capable of using more brutal measures if their grip on is under threat. MB leaders made threats in their recent speeches to try to spread fear among the masses while, at the same time, talking about ‘bread and butter’ issues to portray themselves as the defenders of the revolution.

The brutal attacks against opposition activists, socialists and leftists shows, once again, the need for the growing independent mass workers’ movement to build a mass socialist party to fulfil the aims of the revolution – real, lasting democratic rights and a social transformation of society.

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