:/:~:~~'~" AC H P R ( f.0'\ 'ltn'l'v. African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Human Rights our Collective Responsibility subjected to had they been tried before civil courts. Accordingly, they submit that the Respondent state has violated their right to equal protection of the law under Article 3(2) of the Charter. Violation of Articles 9 (2) and 11 154. The Complainants submitted that the Victims were merely participating in a political demonstration/ sit-in at Tahrir Square, not a full month after mass demonstrations led to the removal of Egypt's long-time ruling president Hosni Mubarak. The demonstration the Complainants took part in called for.specific political objectives, such as creating a new post-revolution constitution and the removal of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik, who was appointed to his post by Mubarak only to be destructed on 9 March 2011, by the Egyptian military tanks and soldiers, together with individuals dressed in civilian clothes who marched onto Tahrir Square, burned tents belonging to individuals who participated in the sit-in and arrested 18 female-protesters, victims inclusive.t= 155.The Complainants added that the activities through which the Complainants expressed their political opinions fell within the recognised scope of the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. The arrest, detention, and subsequent ill-treatment and torture of the Complainants were in response to tIfe-Complainants' exercise of their freedom of expression and assembly. 156.As is evident from the context of the violations that took place, the nature of the questions put to the Complainants and other demonstrators and the accusations levelled. against them. The authorities' measures were designed to punish and intimidate the Victims and aimed at discouraging them from exercising their freedom of expression and, assembly. The measures were unnecessary to preserve national security and disproportionate and therefore amounted to a violation of Articles 9(2) and 11 of the Charter. On the Alleged Yiolation of Article 1 157. Complainants submitted along The Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC) v. Nigeria137 that compliance with the Charter entails both negative and positive obligations on the part of the State, stating further that the Charter recognises four levels 136 See, Paragraph 215 137Comm.No. 155/96 361 P age African{;~~ Union\;),!"