Egyptian Canadian Coalition for DemocracyECCD Statement on the Anniversary of Egypt's Bloody Coup of July 2013

July 2 2014
Ottawa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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 disucuss 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. 

 

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy

About ECCDEgyptian 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.

For more information:
www.eccd.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Samaa Elibyari: +1 (514) 288-8609
Ehab Lotayef: +1 (514) 941-9792