Coptic Solidarity: Maspero Massacre Victims Still Without Justice in Egypt

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three years ago, the Egyptian armed forces unleashed a violent attack against Coptic protesters, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 individuals.  Coptic Solidarity calls on Egypt to render justice and urges to make October 9 a Day of Memorial for the victims.

Several thousand, mostly Coptic families including many women, children, and elderly, gathered for a peaceful march on the evening of October 9, 2011.  The protesters sought redress for the attack on a Coptic Church in Aswan, which was the direct result of a local Imam inciting his congregation to violence. Several such attacks on Coptic churches continue to occur with little if any effort by the state security apparatus to provide protection or redress.

Organizers of the October 9 protest received permission for their event from the authorities. As marchers neared the state broadcast building (Maspero), they were met by numerous state security forces armed in riot gear. Many eyewitness and video footage accounts attest that members of the military started firing live ammunition into the peaceful crowd. At least two armed personnel carriers proceeded to drive through the crowds at high speeds in a zig-zag pattern, crushing protesters to death.

Fueling the melee, state owned television station broadcast news-alerts that Coptic Christians were attacking the Egyptian military, and explicitly encouraged "good citizens" to go into the streets to "rescue members of the military." State security later forcibly ended live broadcasts of the massacre by two independent TV stations in an effort to prevent the people from seeing the actual event.

The Egyptian state not only started the massacre, but also incited Egyptians to violence against Copts and seemingly provided false evidence of armed protestors:  Numerous eyewitnesses reported seeing armed thugs in civilian clothes suddenly appear in the streets after the security forces started shooting and running over protesters. 

There is ample evidence that military police commanders gave explicit orders to brutally suppress the protests, and did so with the consent of the then-ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces. Despite this, to date only two low-ranking soldiers – who remain free and continue to serve in their army units – have been found guilty of a misdemeanor of "involuntary killing," in addition to an outrageous conviction against a Coptic protestor for "aggression against army personnel."

This unconscionable response by the Egyptian state is not only a severe violation of human rights and judicial responsibility, but also perpetuates the culture of impunity in which Copts, their churches, homes, and businesses, are considered open targets for violence.

Coptic Solidarity urges Copts and all Egyptians to make October 9th a Day of Memorial for the victims of the Maspero Massacre and to continue in their footsteps demanding equality and freedom for all Egyptians. We call upon politicians, human rights organizations, and Coptic students to join in this commemoration.  We urge Coptic students on university campuses worldwide to also share widely with fellow students about the sacrifices Copts make to achieve equality.

Coptic Solidarity calls on President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to hold accountable those responsible for the decision to attack civilians on October 9, 2011, as well as those known and suspected of participating in the massacre.

Coptic Solidarity urges the US government to utilize the provision in the International Religious Freedom Act that denies visas to individuals in other countries, whether civilians, military or government officials who have been involved in religious freedom violations.

Coptic Solidarity is non-profit organization dedicated to leading efforts to achieve equal citizenship for the Copts in Egypt and minorities in Middle East. For more information, contact Lindsay Vessey at 801-512-1713 or [email protected]

SOURCE Coptic Solidarity