Cairo: April 16, 2006
Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners and the Arab Penal Reform Organization
Denounce violence actions during the funeral of the victim of the recent incidents in Alex, and stresses that the Egyptian people unity is stronger and bigger than any attempts
Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners and the Arab Penal Reform express their strong denouncement to the incident of the assault on prayers in three churches in Alex that resulted in the death of two Egyptian citizens called Noshy Ata Girges "Christian" and injuring other persons. Additionally, the two organizations denounce strongly the mutual violence actions during the funeral of the mentioned victim in Saturday April 16, 2006.
It is worth mentioning that during the funeral of the victim, in which around 3000 citizens participated in the funeral, some violence actions took place between people taking part in the funeral and some other citizens resulting in the damage of 32 civil cars in addition to the destruction of around 28 shops and façade of some mosques. In addition, the violence actions resulted in the injury of 22 citizens and 2 police officers. The security forces arrested 15 persons participated in these violence actions.
Additionally, an Egyptian citizen has died influenced by his injuries during sectarian violence actions in last Friday resulting in the death of the Christian citizen and injuring tens of citizens. The citizen Mustafa Mesh'al "Muslim" aged 47 affected by his injuries in the hospital that he was suffering from since violence actions according to information received from witnesses.
In consequence of all these incidents, the two organizations stress heavily on the importance of the national unity among all categories in society to stand against any attempts to break this unity. In addition, the organizations call upon all relevant parties including security officers to remain calm and control their selves to deal with this incident and call upon all parties to reconsider the great history of this nation that sacrificed their sons all over its history to protect their land and build its future without discrimination between Muslims or Christians whom their blood was mixed up on the Egyptian sand. All categories have to seeks to eliminate any attempts to destroy this great history and this great nation.
Finally, the organizations appeal to all parties and categories to keep calm and wait for the results of investigations and disclosing the truth before the public opinion.
Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners HRAAP
Arab Penal Reform Organization APRO