Egypt prime minister orders sacking of all police accused of killing protesters

Essam Sharaf said he “issued direct orders to the interior minister to stop all police officers accused of killing protesters from working,” in an address broadcast on state television.

Mr. Sharaf was speaking as thousands of people protested in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to push for political change, a day after mass nationwide rallies denounced the country’s military rulers.

Among the key demands raised at Friday’s protests were an end to military trials of civilians, the dismissal and prosecution of police officers accused of killing protesters, and speedy and transparent trials for former regime officials.

Mr. Sharaf vowed to meet the demands of the protesters, promising swift trials of the Mubarak regime officials.

He “ordered the creation of a panel to review the trials (of those accused of killing protesters and corruption as soon as possible,” without waiting until after the judicial summer recess.

“The public prosecutor will appeal all rulings acquitting people in those cases,” Mr. Sharaf said.

He said he would also create “a mechanism for dialogue with all the political forces.”

Protesters who first took to the streets to topple Mubarak have recently directed their anger at the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took power when the veteran strongman was ousted in February.

The January 25 uprising left 846 people dead and more than 6,000 injured.