Egypt 'eye sniper' sentenced to three years

05 March 2013 - 17:36 By Sapa-AFP
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Eye. File photo.
Eye. File photo.
Image: lokenrc/flickr.com

An Egyptian police officer nicknamed the "eye sniper" was on Tuesday sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in deadly clashes in Cairo in 2011.

Judge Makram Awad of the Cairo criminal court sentenced Mahmud al-Shinnawi to three years for having targeted the eyes of demonstrators during protests on Mohammed Mahmud street, near Cairo's Tahrir Square in November 2011.

The prosecution described Shinnawi's acts as "evil", underlining that the victims "had done nothing but break their silence to demand their legitimate rights" during the protests.

Many protesters in Tahrir were seen in the days following the protests with their eyes bandaged.

Mobile phone footage circulated on the Internet showed Shinnawi aiming at protesters' eyes and another officer telling him, "In his eye! Well done, sir."

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now