CAIRO: The Egyptian Coalition on Children’s Rights (ECCR) released a statement on Dec. 2 demanding a fair trail for the two minors accused of murder and attempted rape of five-year-old Zeina Arafa.
On Dec.1 during the hearing at the Port Said Children’s Court, Port Said-based soccer team fans, Ultras Masrawy, and residents of Port Said demonstrated in support of Zeina’s family in front of the court.
Zeina’s death has been met with public outrage, with many demanding the death penalty for the defendants, including members of Zeina’s family.
ECCR demanded a fair trial for the defendants, as well as the relocation of the trial from Port Said to Cairo, in order to avoid the increasing pressure from Port Said residents and sympathizers of Zeina’s family, which could influence the verdict.
According to their press release, the court must be committed to applying Article 26 of the year 2008, which dictates that the maximum sentence for a child is 15 years. The child would serve in a juvenile facility, and upon reaching 21 years of age, must be moved to a correctional facility until the completion of their sentence
The two accused are Mahmoud Mohamed Casper, aged 17, a neighbor of the victim, and Alaa Gumaa Ahmed, aged 16, the son of the doorman of the victim’s building.
According to reports by the Port Said Security Directorate on Nov. 13, the accused l attempted to rape Zeina on the roof of the building when she began to scream. They panicked and pushed her off the roof.
