Egyptian Detainees Begin Hunger Strike

Scores of Egyptians jailed two weeks ago during clashes with the army have begun an open-ended hunger strike to protest their prolonged detention and the possibility they will be tried in a military court. So far, 141 detainees have started a hunger strike that began on Sunday, said Salma Abdel-Gelil, an activist organizing the solidarity protest. More than 300 people were detained by the military earlier this month following a violent protest outside the Defense Ministry building in which one soldier was killed. It was the biggest mass arrest since President Hosni Mubarak was ousted 15 months ago and comes on the eve of presidential elections that are supposed to result in Egypt’s ruling military council stepping down. “The detainees will continue their hunger strike until their demands are met,” Abdel-Gelil said.