An Egyptian prosecutor ordered the arrest of four police officers for their alleged killing of dozens of Muslim Brotherhood members in detention last August, according to Reuters.
The Ministry of Interior said that the tear gas was used to prevent the members from escaping from the vehicle while en route to the jail where they were to be detained. The Ministry further said that the MB prisoners had taken a police officer hostage in the vehicle.
The prosecution reported to security sources that it investigated the case since August and held meetings with seven involved police officers over three private ocassions. Based on the meetings, the lead prosecutor Hisham Barakat ordered four senior police personnel be detained pending trial. They are charged with neglect and killing detainees. The remaining three junior officers were released.
The Muslim Brotherhood has previously accused Egyptian security authorities for human rights abuses since the oust of former Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in July. Hundreds of MB and pro-Morsi supporters have been killed and arrested since the July overthrow. The state has repeatedly denied the accusations, referring to the Brotherhood and pro-Morsi supporters as terrorists.
