Ottawa, July 3,
2014
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
ECCD Statement on
the Anniversary of Egypt's Bloody Coup of July 2013
July 3rd marks the
first anniversary of the military coup that overthrew the democratically
elected Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi. The past year has been a
nightmare, thousands died in the Rabaa and Alnadha massacres, the worst
incidents of repressive violence in modern Egyptian history. Dissent has been
crushed, including mass killings, jailing of journalists, rape and torture of
detainees, and mass death sentencing against regime opponents. Abdel Fatah
el-Sisi, the coup leader, stepped down from his post as the minister of defense
and installed himself as president in an ‘election’ where he received 97 per
cent of the low voter turnout.
Canadian Citizen
Mohamed Fahmy received a seven year sentence for being Aljazeera Bureau Chief
for three months prior to his unlawful imprisonment. The verdict and the
bizarre trial that preceded it sparked international outrage, while Canada
stayed silent. Fahmy chose not to appeal his verdict as it would be
entertaining “ their theatrical performance aka "trial", as he
recently tweeted. Khaled Al-Qazzaz, Canadian resident and husband of
Canadian born wife Sarah Attia, has been jailed without a charge for a full
year.
Canada was the
first major western country to call what happened in Egypt on July 3rd 2013 a
coup. Shortly after, and in an incredible about face, the Conservative
government refused to condemn the anti-democratic coup in Egypt. Mr.
Baird, Canada’s foreign minister, visited Egypt prior to the staged
presidential election. "Mr. Baird endorsed an illegitimate regime of
terror", said Samaa Elibyari, a member of the Egyptian Canadian Coalition
for Democracy (ECCD). Incredibly Canada became one of the first Western
countries to support El-Sisi’s self-installation to presidency and described it
as “a key step along Egypt’s path to democracy.”, as Minister Baird commented
on the sham presidential election.
“The Conservative government has betrayed its long standing commitment to supporting democracy, human rights, and freedom of the press”, said Ehab Lotayef, the Chairman of ECCD. Mr. Baird has ignored all ECCD requests for a meeting to discuss Canada’s foreign policy in Egypt, a position that Mr. Lotayef perceives to “undermine Canadian citizens’ right to directly communicate their concerns to their elected officials.”
“The Conservative government has betrayed its long standing commitment to supporting democracy, human rights, and freedom of the press”, said Ehab Lotayef, the Chairman of ECCD. Mr. Baird has ignored all ECCD requests for a meeting to discuss Canada’s foreign policy in Egypt, a position that Mr. Lotayef perceives to “undermine Canadian citizens’ right to directly communicate their concerns to their elected officials.”
On the anniversary
of the bloodiest coup in Egypt’s history, The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy calls upon the Conservative
government and our elected officials to discontinue endorsing general El-sisi
and the Military Junta’s regime of terror. ECCD calls upon the government
to forcefully demand an immediate restoration of true civilian democracy, the
revocation of all politically motivated jail sentences, and the immediate
release of Mohamed Fahmy, Khaled Al-Qazzaz, and all the Egyptian and foreign
nationals unlawfully jailed in the most horrific conditions in Egyptian
prisons. July 3rd marks the first anniversary of the military coup that
overthrew the democratically elected Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi.
The past year has been a nightmare, thousands died in the Rabaa and
Alnadha massacres, the worst incidents of repressive violence in modern
Egyptian history. Dissent has been crushed, including mass killings, jailing of
journalists, rape and torture of detainees, and mass death sentencing against
regime opponents. Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, the coup leader, stepped down from his
post as the minister of defense and installed himself as president in an
‘election’ where he received 97 per cent of the low voter turnout.
The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy
For more
information:
www.eccd.ca
info@eccd.ca
Samaa Elibyari: (514)
805-3220
Ehab Lotayef: (514) 941-9792Toronto:
toronto@eccd.ca Mohamed Bakr: (289)
981-2686Montreal:
montreal@eccd.ca 
Ashraf Fouad
(French): (514) 984-3235Québec City:
quebec@eccd.ca 
Mahmoud Mohanna:
(418) 262-1905Vancouver:
vancouver@eccd.ca Fatma Taha: (604)
218-2071Calgary:
calgary@eccd.ca Mohamed Hassanin: (403) 470-3687Kingston:
kingston@eccd.ca Mohamed Salah: (613)
770-3399About ECCD: Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) is a politically independent, non-affiliated pan Canadian organization with chapters in Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, Kingston, and St. John, which advocates for democracy and human rights in Egypt.
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