Egypt - Jan 27, 2012 - 17:23

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered for marches across the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to mark the first anniversary of the "Friday of Rage".

Demonstrators began to converge in the capital's Tahrir Square - the focal point of protests - after Muslim noon prayers, on a day dubbed "the Friday of Pride and Dignity" by the dozens of pro-democracy groups organising the rallies.

In Tahrir, Sheikh Mazhar Shahin, the imam of the Omar Makram mosque located within the square, called for faster retribution for the deaths of protesters last year.

People came out on January 25, 2011 to call for freedom, justice, dignity and the end of a regime that spread all forms of corruption," Shahin told the crowd, referencing the date of the start of the uprising.

"We demanded the resignation of the regime, but after a year passed on the revolution, I'm asking; did the regime actually resign?" Shahin said.

"The revolution is continuous, we need a swifter purge of media and political trials for those who killed the protesters. I'm supporting you."