Twenty-three people were killed and ninety-seven injured at protests around the country on the fourth anniversary of the 2011 revolution, the health ministry announced on Monday. Most of the deaths occurred in Cairo and Alexandria during violent clashes, with most civilians killed in Cairo’s Matariya district.

Presidential pardon for jailed activists fails to materialize
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi promised last week to issue a sweeping pardon for young activists and journalists unjustly detained or serving time on minor charges on the fourth anniversary of the January 25 revolution. No reports, however, had surfaced of their release, amid a security crackdown during Sunday’s protests. “All that came out are statements but nothing happened in reality,” said rights lawyer Tarek al-Awady on Monday. [DNE, Mada Masr, 1/25/2015]

Sisi praises January 25 martyrs on eve of revolution anniversary
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that January 25 was a “revolution for change,” and the June 30 “revolution” amended this change, in a pre-recorded address aired on state television on Saturday. The president saluted all Egyptian “martyrs” who fell since January 25, 2011, stressing that the blood spilled, whether that of the injured or the deceased, is a motive to move forward and exert efforts for the sake of the country. [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, 1/24/2015]

Also of Interest

• Sources: Candidacy applications for parliament to open early February | Egypt Independent
• Sixty-eight NGOs accepted to observe parliamentary elections | DNE
• African Union expresses interest in monitoring parliamentary elections – foreign ministry | Aswat Masriya
• Rights group submits amendments to protest law |  Egypt Independent

COURTS

Egypt court accepts appeal in Minya mass death sentence case
The Court of Cassation ordered a retrial for thirty-seven Muslim Brotherhood members sentenced to death and 429 others sentenced to life in a mass trial last year, judicial sources said on Saturday. The Some 529 defendants were initially all given death sentences in March, the biggest mass death sentence verdict in Egyptian legal history, before the number was reduced. The proceedings lasted only a few days, and was widely criticized by Western governments and human rights groups. [Ahram Online, DNE, Reuters, 1/24/2015]

Egypt convicts doctor, father in first ever FGM trial
A father and a doctor have been convicted for the death of a 13-year-old girl who died after being subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM). An appeal court on Monday sentenced the doctor to two years in prison with hard labor on charges of involuntary manslaughter. He was also fined 500 Egyptian pounds (around $68) and his clinic where the FGM was performed closed for one year by court order. The doctor also received a three-month prison sentence on charges of carrying out FGM. The girl’s father’s received a suspended sentence of three years for the same charge. Monday’s verdict reverses an earlier verdict issued in November 2014 by the same court. [Ahram Online, DNE, AP, The Guardian, 1/26/2015]

Mubarak’s sons released from Egyptian prison on Monday
The two sons of Hosni Mubarak have been released from jail, a day after the fourth anniversary of the uprising that ousted the former Egyptian president. Alaa and Gamal Mubarak walked free from Cairo’s Torah Prison early on Monday and headed to their homes in the suburb of Heliopolis, security officials said. Egyptian security officials on Sunday said their release had been delayed at the last minute, to avoid further inflaming opponents of the new government, after state media reported they had walked free from prison on Friday morning. [BBC, 1/26/2015]

Also of Interest

• Court upholds acquittal of twenty-six men arrested in bathhouse trial | Aswat Masriya, Ahram Online
• Court drops lawsuit to declare Hamas “terrorist” organization | Aswat Masriya

ECONOMY

Egypt cancels Iraq’s debts in exchange for oil shares
Reports revealed that the Egyptian and Iraqi governments have reached an agreement on the Iraqi debt to be canceled in exchange for shares of oil. A number of political, military and economic agreements had been reached during a visit by the Iraqi prime minister ending the ongoing dispute between Cairo and Baghdad and expand areas of cooperation. Iraq’s debt has caused great tension between the Egyptian and Iraqi governments after the Central Bank of Iraq refused to pay $1.7 billion to Egypt. [Zawya, 1/26/2015]

Also of Interest

• CBE: Egypt’s pound weakens to new low of EGP7.43 per dollar | Egypt Independent
• Egypt plans oil production development to boost economy | MEMO

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Twenty-three dead, ninety-seven injured on January 25 anniversary
Twenty-three people were killed and ninety-seven injured at protests around the country on the fourth anniversary of the 2011 revolution, the health ministry announced on Monday. Most of the deaths occurred in Cairo and Alexandria during violent clashes, with most civilians killed in Cairo’s Matariya district. Three others were killed when IEDs they were trying to plant in Beheira and Damietta detonated, while at least three policemen were also among the dead.  The April 6 Youth Movement, al-Jama’a al-Islamiya, Students Against the Coup, and the Muslim Brotherhood, had all launched calls for protests ahead of January 25. Security forces also dispersed a protest against “military rule” staged outside the press syndicate in downtown Cairo. Security forces arrested 516 individuals, with the interior ministry statement claiming they were all affiliated with the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Meanwhile, at least twenty-five journalists were subject to assaults and violations of rights during their coverage of the day, according to Egyptian NGO Journalists Against Torture Observatory. The European Union’s chief Federica Mogherini called on all parties in Egypt to “show restraint” following the violence, while Human Rights Watch released a statement condemning the killings.  [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, Egypt Independent, Mada Masr, DNE, Reuters, 1/26/2015]

Socialist Alliance activist shot dead near Tahrir, investigations underway
An activist and member of the leftist Socialist Popular Alliance Party was shot dead in central Cairo on Saturday. The party said that police shot its member Shaimaa al-Sabbagh Saturday evening as the group peacefully marched toward Tahrir Square to lay a commemorative wreath of roses. According to the primary report by the Forensic Medicine Authority, Sabbagh died in a protest near Tahrir Square after being hit by birdshot in the back, while the party accused police of ‘premeditated’ murder. Interior Ministry Spokesman Hany Abdel Latif, however, said security forces did not fire gunshots at this protest. Prosecutors began questioning police over Sabbagh’s death and seized three surveillance cameras from Talaat Harb Square where the incident took place. Sabbagh’s death has been condemned by the Popular Current, the Dostour Party, Strong Egypt, and the Conference Party. Hundreds of angry mourners flocked on Sunday to her funeral in her hometown of Alexandria. [Ahram Online, AP, Reuters, Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, 1/26/2015]

Also of Interest

• Brotherhood wanted another revolution on January 25 anniversary: Interior minister | Ahram Online
• Nurse receiving protest casualties surprised by dead brother | Egypt Independent
• Sixteen injured in Mounifeya train fire | Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, Egypt Independent
• Teenage girl killed in police-Brotherhood clashes in Alexandria | Ahram Online, DNE, Reuters
• Egypt’s police shoot dead ‘armed Muslim Brotherhood’ protester | Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya
• Microbus driver dies after clashes between police and protesters in Egypt’s Giza | Ahram Online
• In photos: Protests, clashes mark fourth anniversary of Egypt’s revolution | Ahram Online
• Expert says King Tut mask can be restored after epoxy used | AP, Mada Masr
• Egypt state newspaper calls out president following shooting | AP

SECURITY

Cabinet extends North Sinai curfew by further three months
Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab’s cabinet decided Sunday to extend the curfew imposed on North Sinai for another three months, until the end of April. Cabinet spokesman Hossam al-Kawish noted the curfew was supposed to end on January 25, but it was decided to extend it to April 25. The authorities imposed a limited state of emergency in selected areas of North Sinai as part of heightened counterinsurgency measures in  reaction to a militant attack which left over thirty security personnel killed. [DNE, Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, 1/25/2015]

Six policemen, one civilian injured in Cairo weekend blasts, Ajnad Misr claims responsibility
Police sources said that an improvised device targeting a Central Security Forces position exploded on Sunday morning, leaving two officers injured. Militant group Ajnad Misr claimed responsibility for the attack, as well as a series of bombings over the past month. Four police conscripts and a woman were also injured on Friday when an improvised explosive device went off in Cairo’s Alf Maskan area. The device was planted under a private car parked near a location known for its police presence. [Ahram Online, DNE, 1/25/2015]

Also of Interest

• Eleven Egyptian railway lines to halt night services until February | Ahram Online
• North Sinai militants kill civilians, shoot police conscript | DNE, Ahram Online
• Army conscript injured in attack in North Sinai | Ahram Online
• Demolition of Rafah continues in 2nd phase of Gaza buffer zone | DNE
• Young man kidnapped in North Sinai – source | Aswat Masriya
• Bombs target electricity pylons, railway tracks in Menoufiya | Ahram Online
• Bomb explosion in Egypt’s Zagazig halts railway movement | Ahram Online
• Three explosions in Beheira, Sharqeya in early hours of Saturday | DNE
• Two killed in Beheira while planting explosive device | Aswat Masriya

INTERNATIONAL

Egypt’s Sisi heads to Saudi Arabia to pay respects to new king
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will travel to Saudi Arabia on Saturday to offer his condolences to King Salman, following the death of King Abdullah on Friday. Sisi, who will be heading to Saudi from Switzerland, will meet with Salman and his brother, Crown Prince Moqrin, according to a statement from the president’s office. The meeting will also emphasize the relationship between the two countries and ways to strengthen it in the coming period, the statement added. [Ahram Online, DNE, Aswat Masriya, 1/26/2015]

Also of Interest

• Putin to visit Egypt early February: State news agency | Ahram Online, Egypt Independent
• Syrian opposition leaders reach agreement in Cairo | DNE
• Egyptian navy injures Palestinian fisherman, arrests another | DNE
• Ethiopia: Sisi-Desalegn talks to boost bilateral ties | Egypt Independent