JURIST - Paper Chase: Egypt court acquits police charged in protester deaths

[JURIST] A Egyptian court on Thursday acquitted 14 police officers charged in the deaths of protesters during popular uprisings last year. The men were charged with killing protesters on January 28, 2011, one of the most violent days during the revolution. Nearly 200 police officers and government officials, including former president Hosni Mubarak [Al Jazeera profile; JURIST news archive], have been charged in connection with the deaths of at least 846 protesters, but acquittals have been common. Out of 10 cases, there have been nine acquittals [AP report] and one suspended sentence, causing some critics to accuse authorities of failing to pursue justice for the victims. The verdict in Mubarak's case is due next month.

Egypt has been heavily criticized for the way it treated protesters during the Egyptian revolution. Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch [advocacy websites] released reports that protesters had been tortured and improperly detained [JURIST reports]. AI has also criticized the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) [NYT backgrounder], stating that human rights violations against protesters committed by the SCAF may be equal to those committed under Mubarak. Egyptians will elect a new leader next week.