Policeman facing death sentence cleared of killing protesters

Cairo's criminal court has cleared low-ranking policeman Mohamed Ibrahim Abdel-Monem of murder and attempted murder during the January 25 Revolution on Wednesday. The policeman, also known as Mohamed El-Sunni, was exonerated on the same day as the Supreme Military Court sentenced two civilians to death for killing an army officer. Last June, El-Sunni faced the death sentence after being accused of killing 18 protesters and injuring three more at a police station in the district of Al-Zawia Al-Hamra, during the 18-day uprising. He was acquitted upon his retrial. The charges against other policemen accused of committing a similar offence were also cleared. Several hundred civilians across the country were killed during the initial 18 days of the ongoing revolution, which toppled former president Hosni Mubarak on 11 February. Many policemen opened fire on demonstrators during the clashes, but so far, no policemen have been convicted of murder.