Clashes Between Egyptian Protesters and Police in Tahrir Square, Cairo

Following the acquittal of Hosni Mubarak, the former President of Egypt, protesters have been demonstrating in Tahrir Square, Cairo since Saturday, December 8, and clashed with security forces. According to Al Jazeera, one protester was shot dead by Egyptian security forces during the clashes, while the German news agency reports that two people were killed and nine others were injured. Some reports indicate that 85 protesters were arrested, of which all but four have now been released. The number of protesters gathered in Tahrir Square is estimated to be between one thousand and two thousand, with reports stating that some of them threw stones, prompting police to respond with tear gas. The Egyptian Ministry of Interior claims that the demonstrators were supporters of the 'illegal' Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the clashes began after they threw stones at police officers. On Saturday, December 8, an Egyptian court acquitted Hosni Mubarak, his interior minister, and six aides of charges of ordering the killing of opponents during the 2011 revolution. The 86-year-old Hosni Mubarak, who held power in Egypt for three decades, is currently under house arrest in a military hospital. He has been acquitted in the case of the killing of protesters and a corruption case, but must serve three years in prison for a separate embezzlement case. However, Mubarak's lawyer stated on Sunday to AFP that due to a new 'amendment' in the laws, Hosni Mubarak may be released from house arrest earlier than expected. Hosni Mubarak was ousted in 2011 after 30 years of presidency following popular protests, leading to the first free presidential elections in the country, resulting in Mohamed Morsi, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, becoming president. However, a year later, Morsi was also ousted amid widespread protests against him and military intervention, subsequently facing a wave of charges in court. In the last court session, the Egyptian prosecutor requested the death penalty for Mohamed Morsi on charges of 'espionage for foreign countries,' including Iran. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a senior army general during Hosni Mubarak's era, took power after Morsi's fall and successfully won the subsequent presidential elections.