Initial reports by Alkarama field researchers confirm at least 107 protesters killed by gunfire

Early reports confirm that hundreds of anti-coup protesters have been killed this morning as military and police assaulted Rabaa and Nahda squares in Cairo with excessive force. Sky News rightly described the crackdown as a "major military assault largely on unarmed civilians". Alkarama urges the interim Egyptian government to put an end to these extra-judicial killings of largely unarmed protesters. Alkarama is currently in regular contact with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide it with documented information and seek its intervention to ensure an end to the killings and to explore ways ensure to those responsible are held accountable for the violations committed.

Alkarama informed the United Nations special procedures of the documented deaths of 152 protesters between 26 and 27 July 2013 this week. Added to the previous 109 extrajudicial executions documented by Alkarama, at least 260 have died at the hands of security forces since the military deposed Mohamed Morsi as president on 3 July. Given recent statements by the Egyptian authorities, Alkarama is concerned that security forces may attempt to forcibly remove protests in opposition to the military overthrow of President Morsi, and calls on them to ensure they respect the right to protest peacefully and the absolute right to life.

Egypt must respond to UN request for fact-finding mission

In the early hours of 27 July 2013, at least 100 protestors were killed by the Egyptian security services in the most serious violence since the coup that toppled Mohamed Morsi three weeks ago. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should take all the measures she considers useful to to help prevent further violations to the right to life, said Alkarama today in a letter to Navi Pillay.