Tag: Conscripts

‘How can you accidentally shoot yourself in the back of the neck?’ ask Coptic soldier’s family

May 2, 2018 Egypt Asyut, Conscripts, Copts, Egypt, El-Arish, Giza

A Coptic Christian soldier reported to have died by accident ten days ago was in fact killed, his family say. The family of 22-year-old Mikhail Farhat Saad Tamer were called to collect his body from the police station in Al-Qusiyyah, Asyut Governorate, on 23 April. But when they arrived, they were . . . Read More

Copt soldier’s family say he didn’t commit suicide, he was killed

March 19, 2018 Egypt Asyut, Conscripts, Copts, Egypt, Giza, Upper Egypt

A young Egyptian Copt reported to have committed suicide in his army unit last week was in fact killed by his commanding officer, his family say. Matthew Samir Habib, 22, was pronounced dead at his Al-Ahram Palace Club unit in Giza, just south of Cairo, last Wednesday morning (14 March). His . . . Read More

Egypt: second Copt in two years dies mysteriously in same Army unit – this time on his first day

August 11, 2017 Egypt Beni Suef, Conscripts, Copts, Egypt

The family of a Coptic Christian soldier who died last month on his first day at work – in the same regiment where another Copt died in mysterious circumstances in November 2015 – say he was murdered because of his Christian faith. Having just completed his army training, 22-year-old Joseph . . . Read More

Egypt: ‘suicide’ claim for third Christian conscript in nine months

March 8, 2016 Egypt Asyut, Conscripts, Copts, Egypt

Another Egyptian Christian conscript has died in suspicious circumstances. Michael Gamal, 22, was due to finish his two-year compulsory military service this May, when his family heard the shock news of his ‘suicide’. Last time his family heard from him was Feb 15. “As often, we talked over the phone. . . . Read More

Another Egyptian Christian conscript dies in ‘mysterious’ circumstances

January 14, 2016 Egypt Aswan, Conscripts, Copts, Egypt, Suez

Bishoy Kamel was supposed to walk free from his military service in February. Instead, his family collected his body three months earlier. The corpse bore “signs of torture”, the family said. “When we reached the hospital that afternoon, we saw Bishoy’s body reposed like an angel,” said Natei Kamel, the . . . Read More

Coptic soldier’s father challenges military autopsy

September 17, 2015 Egypt Conscripts, Copts, Egypt, Suez

The father of an Egyptian Christian soldier found dead in his military unit 12 weeks ago is adamant, and angry. The results of an autopsy and military investigation into his son’s death are simply “not true,” he says. “I am very angry at the Suez military prosecution for refusing to . . . Read More

Egyptian solider, the only Christian in his unit, found dead

July 1, 2015 Egypt Conscripts, Copts, Egypt, Suez

The facts are these: Bahaa Gamal Mikhail Silvanus, 23 and a conscript in the Egyptian Army, was found dead June 24 in a chair in the office of the military base where he was stationed. There were two bullet wounds in his chest, and a gun at his feet. One . . . Read More

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