FIOE strongly condemns the massacre of peaceful protesters in Egypt

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) with great sadness received the news from Egypt that the authorities of the military coup had perpetrated bloody massacres against peaceful protesters camped out in squares around the country.

In the wake of many fallen victims from among the peaceful protesters, demanding a return to democracy and an end to the coup in various parts of Egypt, including women and children, the horrific massacres perpetrated in the early hours of Saturday brought hundreds more dead and injured.

The Federation considers that these massacres represent an extremely grave turn in the path of the coup organised by the army to overturn democratic change, and the state of constitution and law. This is clearly sustained by a continuing silence and neglect on the part of the international community, particularly the European family of states, towards the flagrant overthrow of democracy in Egypt.

The Federation is gravely concerned that these bloody violations may only be the opening phase of a widening in the scope of killing targeting millions of Egyptian men and women protesting peacefully in the squares, and expanding the scale of horrors committed to silence them, especially given the successive threats by the military authority, and the clampdown on media coverage of events.

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe calls on the European Union and European governments to meet their commitments regarding democracy, and human rights, and adopt clear and unequivocal positions regarding this coup against the will of the Egyptian people, and not to fail them in this critical moment of history. The Federation also expresses its solidarity with the millions of protesters in the squares across Egypt, those rejecting the military coup, and calling for the restoration of democracy, the constitution, and the legitimate president, Dr Mohammed Morsi, and elected councils and bodies; those who continue their protests and sit-ins, despite the systematic violence against them that continues to claim further victims.

Brussels, 27 July 2013

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE)

FIOE condemns the military coup overthrowing democracy in Egypt and expresses its deep concern over the developments

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) follows with deep alarm the rapidly unfolding developments in Egypt, represented by the military coup against democracy, which suspended the constitution, ousted the nation’s democratically-elected president and legitimate institutions, returning the country to the yoke of military rule, and acts of murder, and terror directed against peaceful protesters.

The Egyptian people’s revolution on 25 January 2011 represented a spark of hope, and a decisive milestone in modern history for Egypt and the Arab world; it revitalized the aspirations for democratic change, transparent popular participation, and reform of political, economic, and social conditions in these countries. Subsequently, the Egyptian people have taken important steps on the road of democratic change. However, it was clear that such change faced many difficulties and obstructive attempts from within the country and abroad. However, sights were turned to finalising elected institutions through an expected return to the ballot boxes in choosing a new parliament. However, the step taken by the army to oust the democratically elected president after only one year, suspending the constitution for which the people had voted only six months earlier, dissolving elected bodies, and halting Parliamentary elections, came as an extremely grave development, despite the pretexts given of social and economic crises, and divided political opinions and positions on the Egyptian scene.

The Federation condemns this assault on the democratic gains of the Egyptian people, and the associated measures of gagging free speech, threatening journalists, shutting down many television channels, mass arrests of those adhering to constitutional legitimacy, and threatening the peaceful protesters camped out in the squares. These serious developments represent a turning back of the clock to those times in history of tyranny and repression, opening the door to rampant chaos.

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe expresses its deep fear for the safety of those protesting and picketing peacefully against the military coup that overthrew the constitution and democratically elected institutions; the Federation condemns in the gravest of terms the bloody attacks that left tens of peaceful protesters dead, and hundreds injured in the past days. The Federation also expresses its concern regarding the consequences of these grave developments on social peace in Egypt, the safety of citizens, their civil rights, and freedom of expression.

The Federation warns that deposing democracy in a large and important country in the region, like Egypt, represents without doubt an appalling example, threatening democratic efforts and tentative steps towards reform in other countries, and throwing a dark shadow over the entire region, after a period of great optimism regarding freedom, democracy, dignity of citizens, and achievement of comprehensive development.

Brussels, 4 July 2013

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE)