10:35 GMT 31st January 2012
'The graphic images of protesters, including women, being brutally clubbed and assaulted, long after the point when they are showing any resistance, are utterly shocking,' said Navi Pillay, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, following clashes on the weekend of December 17 and 18 that left 11 people dead.
'People lying motionless on the ground are shown on ftlm being smashed on the head and body with sticks. These are life-threatening and inhuman acts that cannot possibly be justified under the guise of restoration of securiry or crowd control.'
She also referred to flim footage that went round the world showing soldiers clubbing and kicking an apparendy unconscious halfnaked woman.
The clashes followed mass protests in Tahrir Square against Egypt's military junta, which is accused of standing in the way of genuine democratic rule, despite overseeing the first round of general elections.
The generals are preparing to endorse the Muslim Brotherhood as the almost certain winners. But pro-democracy supporters say the army will continue to pull the strings.
Mohamed Morsy, leader of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Parry, said last month, 'Scaf [the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces] is trying to handcuff the new parliament.'
Pillay recalled that less than a month ago she deplored the use of excessive force, including live ammunition, by security and military forces against peaceful protesters, which by November 23 had resulted in the death of some 30 demonstrators.
'It seems that Egyptian security forces, and their political and military commanders, have learned nothing over the past year, including the fact that actions like these simply fuel further anger and protests and make a resolution of Egypt's political, social and economic problems more difficult to achieve.'
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