The world today commemorates the tenth year since the harrowing Rabaa al-Adawiya massacre in Egypt. The grievous aftermath and continuous reverberations of that day remain, echoing the orchestrated acts of violence and barbarity where at least 1,200 demonstrators faced their end at the hands of Egyptian security forces – both the military and the police. These incidents unfurled within mere hours across the squares of Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Nahda, along with other opposition-gathering sites throughout the Egyptian regions.
The undeniable and chilling acts by the Egyptian army and police on that fateful day are tantamount to crimes against humanity. Weeks of meticulous planning for this massacre were coupled with a relentless media campaign aimed at maligning the protesters. Every supportive media outlet of the Egyptian military coup participated, especially after the silencing of neutral and dissenting media voices. This set the stage for the calculated and systemic assault on hundreds of unarmed protesters.
Governments that emerged post the military coup in Egypt worked tirelessly to shield the culprits from facing the consequences, rendering the justice system ineffectual. As victims and their advocates grapple with politically-motivated legal sentences, including capital punishment, the actual culprits roam free, evading any form of justice.
In the aftermath of this dark event, various parts of Egypt witnessed additional episodes of collective violence. Egyptian authorities showcased a ruthless strategy when dealing with peaceful assemblies, leading to countless casualties in disparate venues and events. Additionally, the incarceration of tens of thousands of dissenters and the rampant reports of torture and neglect within Egyptian detention cells painted a grim picture, with these facilities morphing into grim sites of systematic oppression.
The lukewarm global response post the massacre has only fuelled the audacity of the Egyptian administration, as they trample over human rights and curtail basic freedoms. The mild international appeals and criticisms have yet to deter the regime’s actions or secure the release of numerous political detainees.
A decade on, Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) stands resolutely in solidarity with all entities, human rights champions, and defenders who courageously shine a light on the “Rabaa al-Adawiya massacre” and the continuing oppressive measures of the Egyptian regime.
As years roll by, the memories of those who were ruthlessly slain, and the grief of bereaved families remain indelible. The Rabaa al-Adawiya massacre will forever remain etched in the annals of Egypt’s history and the global conscience. Regardless of the regime’s media blitz and narrative crafting, the truth remains unalterable. Eyewitnesses of the atrocity are testament to its reality, fortified by extensive visual proofs and comprehensive human rights and journalistic chronicles that have detailed the entire event and pinpointed the perpetrators.
In this context, Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK urges all media personnel, global leaders, political factions, human rights defenders, and civil society groups to rally in support of the victims of the Rabaa al-Adawiya massacre and their families. There’s an imperative to galvanize the international community into adopting unequivocal stances against this regime, which has committed and continues to evade punishment for its monumental transgressions.
