8 Oct 2013

Death toll rising in latest Egypt protests

12:33 am on 8 October 2013

In Egypt the death toll in clashes between police and supporters of deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi has risen to more than 50. Hundreds have been injured.

More than 200 members of his Muslim Brotherhood were arrested in Cairo, where 26 of the deaths were reported.

Supporters of Mr Morsi marched in several cities, as the military-backed government celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

Morsi supporters tried to converge on a central Cairo square for the anniversary celebrations, when police confronted them.

The police fired shots and tear gas to disperse stone-throwing protesters and witnesses say they saw several demonstrators being arrested and beaten.

Hundreds of Islamist protesters have died in violence since the Egyptian military deposed Mr Morsi in July, 13 months after he was elected as president.

Meanwhile, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade says a New Zealand journalist who was detained in Cairo is safe and well.

The Cairo Post says Campbell MacDiarmid, who is a freelance reporter working in the city, was taken into police custody in the suburb of Dokki.

The ministry says he was not placed under arrest and has now been released.