Nag Hammadi massacre
Encyclopedia
The Nag Hammadi massacre was a massacre
of Coptic Christians carried out on the eve of January 7, 2010, in the Egypt
ian city of Nag Hammadi
. The massacre occurred at the hands of Muslim
gunmen in front of the Nag Hammadi cathedral, as Coptic Christians were leaving the church after celebrating the midnight Christmas
mass according to the Coptic calendar. The massacre resulted in the murder of eight Copts and one Muslim bystander. Nine other Copts were confirmed to be wounded, and two Muslims were reportedly wounded in the attack.
Following the attack, two other Coptic Christian women were killed in nearby villages when Muslim mobs set their houses on fire. Numerous Coptic businesses were looted and destroyed in the accompanying attacks.
The Nag Hammadi massacre gained widespread international attention, and was condemned by Pope Benedict XVI
, Lebanese
MP Nadim Gemayel
, Italian
foreign minister Franco Frattini, and Canadian
foreign minister Lawrence Cannon
. The attacks were one of the most serious outbreaks of anti-Christian
violence in Egypt, and the worst since the murder of 21 Coptic Christians in Kosheh
in January 2000.
, and represent between 15% and 20% of a population of over 80 million Egyptians though estimates vary (see Religion in Egypt
). The Coptic community has been targeted by hate crimes including physical violence, and has been facing varying degrees of discriminatory government policies like restrictions on building churches and a school curriculum focused on Islam
. Since the 1970s, the rise of Islamist movements in Egypt was coupled with sectarian violence
. Disputes over land and inter-faith relationships have sometimes split communities along religious lines. Local authorities' handling of such cases has been criticized by civil rights
groups. Police are accused of delaying their response to reports of fighting and then simply arresting equal numbers of Muslims and Christians in order to create some sort of balance. Sometimes criminal investigations are dropped in favor of informal reconciliation meetings. Other forms of anti-Christian discrimination in Egypt include discrimination in hiring in the public sector and staff appointments to public universities, prohibition from studying at Al-Azhar University
(a publicly funded institution with approximately half a million students), and barring from certain jobs such as Arabic language teachers.
service. For this reason, he decided to end his mass one hour earlier than normal. He told the Associated Press
that, for days, he had expected something to happen on Christmas Eve. He said he left the church minutes before the attack, and had to take the back door when a suspicious driving car swerved near him. Seconds later he heard the mayhem, lots of machine-gun shots.
As the Christian worshipers were leaving the Nag Hammadi Cathedral after the Christmas Eve service, a car pulled up and gunfire was sprayed into the crowd. As a result, eight Copts, all aged between 15 and 23, were killed. Six died immediately, while two more died the following day because of severe injuries. In addition one Muslim bystander was also killed in the attack. Nine other Copts were confirmed wounded, and two Muslims were reportedly wounded in the attack.
In addition, two Coptic women died when a Muslim mob set the houses of Christians on fire in nearby villages.
. A man was arrested and charged with the alleged rape on November 21, 2009, and is due to stand trial., However, the man continuously denied the allegations, and Christian sources believed he had been framed.
It was not until two weeks after the massacre that President Hosni Mubarak
made his first remarks directly condemning what happened. He stated that "The criminal act in Nag Hammadi has made the hearts of Egyptians bleed, whether Copts or Muslims".
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) condemned the attack, stating that despite warnings by local church authorities of possible violence during the Coptic holiday, police had not bolstered security for Christmas.
On 9 January 2010, hundreds of people in Cairo
demonstrated, carrying placards condemning "the shocking silence of the authorities" and stating "We are All Copts". On the same day, Egyptian police arrested 20 people who demonstrated in the town of Bahgura against the Nag Hammadi massacre.
On 15 January, 29 Egyptian human rights activists, bloggers, and members of political parties visited Nag Hammadi in order to show solidarity with the Coptic community against the recent attacks on Coptic civilians. All 29 activists were arrested by Egyptian police while on their way to pay their condolences to the families of the Coptic Christians shot and killed one week earlier. The group included prominent activists such as Wael Abbas, members of April 6 Youth Movement
, and members of the Democratic Front Party. The group included 8 women, one of whom was a French
citizen. The activists were detained and interrogated by the prosecutor the Qena Governorate. A number of them was charged with demonstrating illegally, chanting slogans against the state, and causing disorder. Group members denied these allegations, stating that Egyptian police arrested them when they arrived at the train station, and that the group had not had time to engage in any activities.
, Lebanese
MP Nadim Gemayel
, Italian
foreign minister Franco Frattini, and Canadian
foreign minister Lawrence Cannon
.
The actions of the Egyptian government in the aftermath of the crime were also strongly condemned by Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East
director of Human Rights Watch
. "The Egyptian authorities should be focusing on the causes of the tragic shooting of six Coptic Christians," she stated. "Instead, they're arresting activists whose efforts to express their condolences is an important step toward healing sectarian fractures."
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
of Coptic Christians carried out on the eve of January 7, 2010, in the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian city of Nag Hammadi
Nag Hammâdi
Nag Hammadi , is a city in Upper Egypt. Nag Hammadi was known as Chenoboskion in classical antiquity, meaning "geese grazing grounds". It is located on the west bank of the Nile in the Qena Governorate, about 80 kilometres north-west of Luxor....
. The massacre occurred at the hands of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
gunmen in front of the Nag Hammadi cathedral, as Coptic Christians were leaving the church after celebrating the midnight Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
mass according to the Coptic calendar. The massacre resulted in the murder of eight Copts and one Muslim bystander. Nine other Copts were confirmed to be wounded, and two Muslims were reportedly wounded in the attack.
Following the attack, two other Coptic Christian women were killed in nearby villages when Muslim mobs set their houses on fire. Numerous Coptic businesses were looted and destroyed in the accompanying attacks.
The Nag Hammadi massacre gained widespread international attention, and was condemned by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
MP Nadim Gemayel
Nadim Gemayel
Nadim Bashir Gemayel , is a Lebanese MP and a senior member of the Kataeb party, founded by his grandfather Pierre Gemayel in 1936. He is the son of former Lebanese president-elect Bachir Gemayel...
, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
foreign minister Franco Frattini, and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
foreign minister Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs...
. The attacks were one of the most serious outbreaks of anti-Christian
Christian persecution
Christian persecution could refer to:* Historical persecution by Christians- persecution of other groups by Christians* Persecution of Christians - persecution of Christians by other groupsMore generally, see:* Religious persecution...
violence in Egypt, and the worst since the murder of 21 Coptic Christians in Kosheh
Kosheh Martyrs
21 Coptic Christians were the victims of a massacre in el-Kosheh village in Upper Egypt, located 450 kilometres south of Cairo, on Sunday 2 January 2000. The Coptic Christians killed in this incident were considered martyrs of the Coptic Orthodox Church by Pope Shenouda III.-Kosheh:Kosheh is...
in January 2000.
Background
Coptic Christians form the largest religious minority in the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and represent between 15% and 20% of a population of over 80 million Egyptians though estimates vary (see Religion in Egypt
Religion in Egypt
Religion in Egypt controls many aspects of social life and is endorsed by law. The 2006 census counting method did not include religion, so the number of adherents of the different religions are usually rough estimates made by religious and non-governmental agencies.Egypt is predominantly Muslim,...
). The Coptic community has been targeted by hate crimes including physical violence, and has been facing varying degrees of discriminatory government policies like restrictions on building churches and a school curriculum focused on Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Since the 1970s, the rise of Islamist movements in Egypt was coupled with sectarian violence
Sectarian violence
Sectarian violence and/or sectarian strife is violence inspired by sectarianism, that is, between different sects of one particular mode of ideology or religion within a nation/community...
. Disputes over land and inter-faith relationships have sometimes split communities along religious lines. Local authorities' handling of such cases has been criticized by civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
groups. Police are accused of delaying their response to reports of fighting and then simply arresting equal numbers of Muslims and Christians in order to create some sort of balance. Sometimes criminal investigations are dropped in favor of informal reconciliation meetings. Other forms of anti-Christian discrimination in Egypt include discrimination in hiring in the public sector and staff appointments to public universities, prohibition from studying at Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
(a publicly funded institution with approximately half a million students), and barring from certain jobs such as Arabic language teachers.
Events
Bishop Kyrillos (Cyril), the Coptic Orthodox bishop of Nag Hammadi, had warned the Egyptian police that there have been threats in the days leading up to the Christmas EveChristmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
service. For this reason, he decided to end his mass one hour earlier than normal. He told the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
that, for days, he had expected something to happen on Christmas Eve. He said he left the church minutes before the attack, and had to take the back door when a suspicious driving car swerved near him. Seconds later he heard the mayhem, lots of machine-gun shots.
As the Christian worshipers were leaving the Nag Hammadi Cathedral after the Christmas Eve service, a car pulled up and gunfire was sprayed into the crowd. As a result, eight Copts, all aged between 15 and 23, were killed. Six died immediately, while two more died the following day because of severe injuries. In addition one Muslim bystander was also killed in the attack. Nine other Copts were confirmed wounded, and two Muslims were reportedly wounded in the attack.
In addition, two Coptic women died when a Muslim mob set the houses of Christians on fire in nearby villages.
Aftermath
On 8 January 2010, three men were arrested and charged with premeditated murder in association with the Nag Hammadi massacre." The names of the three accused men were Mohamed Ahmed Hassanein, more commonly known as Hamam el-Kamouny, Qurshi Abul Haggag and Hendawi Sayyed. The trial opened on 13 February 2010. Despite initially confessing to the police, they have pleaded not guilty to the charges of premeditated murder, putting lives of citizens at risk, and damaging property. The Supreme State Security Court adjourned the trial until 20 March 2010; since then, the trial has been delayed repeatedly, twelve times. The accused men appeared in court for the final verdict on January 16, 2011. The verdict was carried out sentencing el-Kamouny the death penalty for the "premeditated murder" of seven people, as well as the "attempted murder" of the nine others who were wounded. The other two defendants are to appear in court once more to receive their final verdict on February 20, 2011.Motives
Egyptian officials suspected that the shooting may have been "in revenge for the alleged rape of a 12-year-old Muslim girl by a Christian man" in the nearby town of Farshout in November, which at the time led to five days of riots and attacks on Christian businesses and properties in Upper EgyptUpper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
. A man was arrested and charged with the alleged rape on November 21, 2009, and is due to stand trial., However, the man continuously denied the allegations, and Christian sources believed he had been framed.
Egyptian reaction
Following the Nag Hammadi massacre and the associated attacks, the Egyptian police raided the homes of Coptic Christian families in Nag Hammadi on 10 January 2010, and arrested 22 young Copts, most of whom were teenagers. These Copts were detained at the Nag Hammadi police station for a few days, then transferred to jail in the isolated New Valley Governorate. None of the arrested Copts was ever formally charged with any crime.It was not until two weeks after the massacre that President Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
made his first remarks directly condemning what happened. He stated that "The criminal act in Nag Hammadi has made the hearts of Egyptians bleed, whether Copts or Muslims".
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) condemned the attack, stating that despite warnings by local church authorities of possible violence during the Coptic holiday, police had not bolstered security for Christmas.
On 9 January 2010, hundreds of people in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
demonstrated, carrying placards condemning "the shocking silence of the authorities" and stating "We are All Copts". On the same day, Egyptian police arrested 20 people who demonstrated in the town of Bahgura against the Nag Hammadi massacre.
On 15 January, 29 Egyptian human rights activists, bloggers, and members of political parties visited Nag Hammadi in order to show solidarity with the Coptic community against the recent attacks on Coptic civilians. All 29 activists were arrested by Egyptian police while on their way to pay their condolences to the families of the Coptic Christians shot and killed one week earlier. The group included prominent activists such as Wael Abbas, members of April 6 Youth Movement
April 6 Youth Movement
The April 6 Youth Movement is an Egyptian Facebook group started in Spring 2008 to support the workers in El-Mahalla El-Kubra, an industrial town, who were planning to strike on April 6....
, and members of the Democratic Front Party. The group included 8 women, one of whom was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
citizen. The activists were detained and interrogated by the prosecutor the Qena Governorate. A number of them was charged with demonstrating illegally, chanting slogans against the state, and causing disorder. Group members denied these allegations, stating that Egyptian police arrested them when they arrived at the train station, and that the group had not had time to engage in any activities.
International reaction
The Nag Hammadi massacre gained widespread international attention, and was condemned by Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
MP Nadim Gemayel
Nadim Gemayel
Nadim Bashir Gemayel , is a Lebanese MP and a senior member of the Kataeb party, founded by his grandfather Pierre Gemayel in 1936. He is the son of former Lebanese president-elect Bachir Gemayel...
, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
foreign minister Franco Frattini, and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
foreign minister Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs...
.
The actions of the Egyptian government in the aftermath of the crime were also strongly condemned by Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
director of Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
. "The Egyptian authorities should be focusing on the causes of the tragic shooting of six Coptic Christians," she stated. "Instead, they're arresting activists whose efforts to express their condolences is an important step toward healing sectarian fractures."
See also
- List of massacres in Egypt
- Persecution of CoptsPersecution of CoptsCopts are native Egyptian Christians, usually Orthodox, who currently make up around 10% of the population of Egypt — the largest religious minority of that country...
- Christianity in EgyptChristianity in EgyptChristianity is a minority religion in Egypt. Egyptian Christians are known as Copts and account for about 10% of the population. Despite the small proportion of Christians within Egypt, Egypt's Christian population is the largest in terms of absolute numbers in the greater region of the Middle...
- 2011 Alexandria bombing2011 Alexandria bombingThe 2011 Alexandria bombing was an attack on Coptic Christians in Alexandria, Egypt, on Saturday, 1 January 2011. Twenty three people died as a result of the attack, all of them Coptic Christians. Some 97 more people were injured...
- 2011 Imbaba Church Attacks2011 Imbaba Church AttacksThe 2011 Imbaba church attacks were a series of attacks that took place on 7 May 2011 against Coptic Christian churches in the poor working-class neighborhood of Imbaba in Cairo, Egypt...