WASHINGTON, DC – On the seventh anniversary of the Maspero Massacre, In Defense of Christians (IDC) – the nation’s leading advocacy organization for Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East – commemorates the lives of 28 protestors, mainly Coptic Christians, who were slaughtered by the Egyptian military on October 9, 2011 in Cairo. Adding insult to injury, state television falsely charged that the protestors had initially attacked the military, which prompted further attacks against Copts for the remainder of the night.
The Maspero Massacre is a solemn event to commemorate, but serves as a powerful reminder about the discrimination faced by Coptic Christians in Egypt and the strong need for reform to ensure they can thrive in their ancestral homeland.
“Coptic Christians are not only one of Christianity’s most ancient communities, they are the indigenous people of Egypt and should not be targeted for practicing their faith or political activism,” stated IDC President Toufic Baaklini.
With prayers for the families of the victims, and prayers for the peace and equal rights for Coptic Christians, IDC continues to advocate for the Middle East’s largest Christian community every day in the halls of Congress.