Minister of Interior Mansour al-Essawy has promised a re-shuffle of the police force in mid-July, saying that it will serve to purge corrupt officers from the force.
The changes are to be implemented in a single step, he said, rather than two, and will involve reviews of the positions of officers charged with killing protesters.
In statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Essawy said he had reviewed the files of more than 700 police officers who are involved in the changes. The changes are to be be announced on 14 July, such that all officers will be in their new positions by the beginning of Ramadan.
The minister said he has taken into consideration the demands put forward by revolutionary youth groups, adding that it would be the largest re-shuffle in the ministry’s history and would promote officers to leadership roles where they could act as role models for proper behavior. Essawy also asked the media to be accurate in their coverage of the news.
Asked about preparations for the 8 July rally, Essawy said the ministry is ready for the protests in Cairo, adding that no officers would be present in Tahrir Square unless they are summoned. There is a plan to secure the protests in Alexandria, Suez and Ismailia, which he said would likely be large.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
