By EIPR –
Translated by Coptic Solidarity
Some youth movements, Christian and non-Christian had called for a march in which thousands participated in protest of the burning by mobs and the demolition of St. George’s church in the village of Almarenab center north of Edfu, Aswan Governor, as well as previous similar attacks on a number of churches. The march kicked off from Shubra area, with slogans condemning the burning of churches and the way the SCAF handled the transition since the departure of former president Hosni Mubarak. Once they reached the vicinity of the national radio and television building at Maspero area, an Army unit fired live ammunition at the demonstrators. This was followed by some Armored Military Vehicles penetrating the demonstrating crowds, which resulted in a number of these being run over.
Over four years, a succession of three heads of state from different orientations came to rule, but their ways of dealing with the massacre were identical and the demands brought by the protesters at the time are still not met. This contributes to the continued absence of justice, as the responsible officials were assisted to evade trial, and some were even rewarded by taking up other senior positions in the country. Added to this is the continued intransigence of the state institutions in granting of permits for building and renovation of churches; a demand for which the demonstrations came out originally, not to mention the continuation of other manifestations of discrimination within the state institutions and the public sphere.
A military court had convicted three soldiers, and sentenced one of them to three years and the two others to two years each on charges of ‘negligence’ (“by randomly driving AMVs, in a way that did not fit the busy road, leading to collision with the crowds”). Also, a North Cairo Court convicted two Copts to three years in prison on charges of theft and possession of a firearm from an Army’s vehicle.
The deliberate murder and the failure to protect the lives of citizens are crimes not subject to the statute of limitations. Just demands to investigate the matter will continue to stand in order to apprehend and prosecute the instigators and perpetrators of crimes in the deliberate killings of demonstrators.
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http://eipr.org/pressrelease/2015/10/08/2452
