Contact: Caraoline Doss, 201-418-9090; Martina Beshay, 443-358-0036; Magdi Khalil, 202-725-3091; Halim Meawad, 240-644-5153; Adel Messeh, 703-597-9859; all with Coptic Solidarity
WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Coptic Solidarity condemns the attack by the Egyptian Armed Forces against the peaceful demonstration by the Coptic community in front of the State TV headquarters at Maspero, Cairo on Sunday, October 9, 2011. The demonstration was a peaceful protest of the recent burning of a church in Aswan, southern Egypt. The military forces' unprovoked aggression left 27 dead and over 300 persons wounded. Military Security officers and soldiers initiated this barbaric and inhuman attack on the peaceful demonstration to silence the Copts. The military forces used not only live ammunition to kill the demonstrators but, they also used their armored vehicles to literally crush Christians under their treads.
This is a new and unprecedented attack on Egyptian citizens. In the past, the military forces condoned similar attacks carried out by civilians against religious minorities such as the Copts by turning their heads and generally encouraging an atmosphere of impunity. Now, the military itself is engaging in attacking its own Egyptian citizens.
Because of the severity of the circumstances and the dangerous situation in Egypt, it is imperative that we unite against the violence against religious minorities in Egypt. We ask that you please join our peaceful demonstration in protest of the attacks and the ongoing oppression and suppression of religious liberty. Attacks are rapidly increasing in both frequency and brutality. Please refer to the International Religious Freedom Report 2010, issued on Nov. 17, 2010 by the U.S. Department of State. For additional information, please see www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148817.htm. Additionally, the May 2011 report of the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom recommended Egypt be named a country of particular concern (CPC) as a systematic violator of religious freedom.
Please join us, and invite others who believe that all individuals deserve human rights, human dignity and the freedom to pursue one's own religion, in a peaceful demonstration to protest the persecution of the Copts and all religious minorities in Egypt and the Middle East. It is our moral obligation.
When: Wednesday, October 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Washington, D.C. -- In front of the Pennslyvania Ave. main gate of the White House
Followed by a March to Congress/Capitol Hill via Pennsylvania Ave
For more information:Caraoline Doss(1-201-418-9090),Martina Beshay(1-443-358-0036),Magdi Khalil(1-202-725-3091), Halim Meawad (1-240-644-5153), Adel Messeh (1-703-597-9859)
Coptic Solidarity
Established in Virginia (Federal Ref.: EIN 27-1220227)
P.O. Box 1450 Centreville, VA 20122, U.S.A
